Mahiliou court turns down appeal by local BPF Youth activist

Mahiliou Regional Court has dismissed a complaint by Babruisk activist of the Belarusian Popular Front youth wing “BPF Youth” Andrei Padaliak.

Andrei Padaliak was found guilty of disorderly conduct and fined BYR 525,000 by Mahiliou Leninski District Court.

After the detention, the activist was reportedly humiliated by the police, who beat him, plunged his head into the toilet and rolling fingerprinting ink across his face.

“I believe that the court’s ruling is an example of humiliating treatment. The judge was unwilling to read out the charges and the police reports, saying that the Code did not require doing so. The papers have evident discrepancies. Besides, it is not clear how my alleged alcoholic intoxication was established, as there is no medical examination at all. Judge Stanislau Shandarovich ignored my speaking Belarusian as the grounds for detention. The charges say that I was using foul language, while the report says that the policemen approached me to learn about my health, when I reportedly started swearing, resisting them and swaying my arms”, says the activist.