Baranavichy: Viktar Tsiapin gets fined

On 6 October the Baranavichy City and District Court considered the administrative case of Viktar Tsiapin, who was charged under Article 23.34 (“violation of the order of organizing or holding mass events”) for taking part in the organization of the People's Assembly. Judge Aksana Sarakhman found him guilty and sentenced him to a fine of 875,000 rubles.

Viktar Tsiapin pleaded innocent, as according to Article 11 of the Law “On National and Local Assemblies” allows summoning public assemblies on the initiative of at least 10% of residents of an appropriate territory. He also argued that the organizers didn't need to ask the local authorities to authorize the event.