Appeals by “travel banned” politicians dismissed

The Court of the Vitebsk Region upheld verdicts against Lyabedzka, Kalyakin and Atroshchankau.

Kalyakin, Lyabedzka and Atroshchankau tried to dispute the decision of the Court of Orsha on April 18, but the Court of the Vitebsk Region upheld the verdict, Radio Svaboda reports.

Leader of Fair World left party, Syarhei Kalyakin, head of the United Civil Party Anatol Lyabedzka and former political prisoner and coordinator of European Belarus civil campaign Alyaksandr Atroshchankau were taken off the train in Orsha on their way from Minsk to Moscow on March 28. They were accused of disorderly conduct. The court fined each 350,000 rubles.

Public activist Valer Shchukin also tried to appeal against the verdict of the Court of Orsha. He was fined 1,190,000 rubles on March 30.

Shchukin was found guilty of disorderly conduct and disobedience to police. Shchukin blocked the door to the second floor protesting against closed-door trial against politicians Anatol Lyabedzka, Syarhei Kalyakin and Alyasandr Atroshchankau on March 29.

The court reduced a fine to European Belarus activist Alena Semenchukova from 5 to 0.5 basic units. She is to pay 17,500 rubles.

Alena Semenchukova appeal against the court decision to fine her for an action of solidarity with Syarhei Kavalenka. She was detained with a poster “Freedom to Syarhei Kavalenka!” on March 20 and fined 175,000 by the Chyhunachny district court of Vitebsk.

The Court of the Vitebsk Region reduced the fine ten-fold.