Smarhon court fines critical artists
Ales Pushkin at an art action in Smarhon on 2 September
Smarhon District Court has found two members of the Pahonia independent art group, as well as local pro-democratic activist Uladzimir Shulzhytski, guilty of participating in an illegal manifestation staged in the town on 3 September to mark the birthday of Rastsislau Lapitski, leader of an anti-Communist movement of late 1950s.
Artists Valiantsin Varanishcha and Henadz Drazdou have been fined 3 and 1 mln. rubles respectively, while activist Uladzimir Shulzhytski has been sentenced to a 3 mln. fine.
The trial of another member of Pahonia Ales Pushkin will be resumed on 24 September.
The defendants were tried without any legal support, after it turned out that none of local lawyers agreed to represent them in court. However, they say that the necessary agreements for legal protection have been signed last Monday.
