Brest: trial of Vital Koush postponed to 27 December
The civil activist who is charged of
"assistance to illegal emigration", asked to be given some
time to study his case. The judge of the Brest District Court Mikalai
Senka granted the petition and appointed the trial on 27
December.
Bear in mind that 28-year-old participant of a
number of political campaigns had been forcedly detained by unknown
people in mufti on 1 September before the eyes of his son and wife.
During the next few days nothing was known about his fate. As it was
found later, he was kept at the pre-trial prison #7 on charges in
assisting citizens of India in illegal crossing of the border between
Belarus and Poland.
The case received publicity when the
state-owned Belarusian TV started mentioning it, calling Koush a
criminal. This autumn, a video with explanations of the deported
Indians appeared on the web. The Indians stated that they were forced
to give false testimonies against Koush with the use of torture. As
one of them stated, "a border guard raised my hand to point at
the house" (where the family of Vital Koush lives).