Chairman of Hrodna Regional Court confirms fines to human rights defenders

Hrodna human rights defenders Viktar Sazonau, Raman Yurhel and Uladzimir Khilmanovich received a response to their complaint, signed by Chairman of Hrodna Regional Court Aliaksandr Hrynkevich. The activists challenged the decision of Leninski District Court of Hrodna, who fined them 1.5 million rubles each for posting a photo on the Internet in solidarity with Ales Bialiatski and the later decision by Hrodna Regional Court on the review of the appeal.

Chairman of Hrodna Regional Court Aliaksandr Hrynkevich predictably took the side of his own court. The court official also claims that photographs of human rights defenders taken and posted on the International Human Rights Day was an unsanctioned public event, subject to an administrative penalty.

Hrodna human rights defenders believe that their rights to freedom of expression have been violated and in this situation they see no other choice but to submit a joint complaint to the UN Human Rights Committee.