Svislach case: "regional court maintains the "rigid course"

The Hrodna Region Court issued a predictably negative ruling on the cassation appeal of the civil activist from Biaroza Siarhei Trafimchyk. The activist tried to appeal the verdict of the judge of the Svislach District Court Zhanna Salahubik of 13 December 2012, according to which he was sentenced to a fine of 800,000 rubles for participation in an action in the memory of the anti-Russian uprising of 1863-1864.

At the hearings in the regional court Mr. Trafimchyk pointed at the absurdity of the verdict of the district court, arguing that one does not need any "official permissions" to simply lay down flowers to monuments. He also turned the attention of the court to the fact that the police had given false testimonies, and that they hadn't warned the people about the possible administrative punishment for their actions. However, the judge Eduard Druts simply ignored all arguments of Siarhei Trafimchyk and left the previous verdict in force, demonstrating the corporate solidarity of all state organs. He was already the fourth judge of the regional court who considered cassation appeals of civil activists concerning the "Svislach case". No miracle happened, though. Earlier the court also turned down appeals of other fined activists – Viktar Dzesiatsik, Yury Hlebik, Vital Lopasau and Anatol Valiuk. At present they appeal the fines at higher court instances.