Why are detainees kept in jail at weekends?
Brest human rights
defender Raman Kisliak filed appeals to the Minister of Interior of
Belarus, Ihar Shunevich, and the head of the Supreme Court,
Valiantsin Sukala, asking to provide "prompt delivery of
administrative detainees to courts for trials".
The
reason for the appeal became the situation around the detention of
two activists of the Belarusian Popular Front Party, Leanid Autukhou
and Kanstantsin Smolikau, in Vitsebsk on 22 March. The activists were
handing out bulletins with invitation to the celebration of the
Freedom Day.
Autukhou and Smolikau were tried only on Monday,
25 March, after spending 69 hours in preliminary detention, which is
a violation of Part 2o f Article 11.2 of the Process-Executive Code
of Administrative Offenses of Belarus.
Mr. Kisliak reminds
that according to the aforementioned article, cases of administrative
violations ensuing in administrative arrest or deportation are to be
considered on the day of the issuance of the violation report and
other case materials and not later than in 48 hours since the
movement of the administrative detention.
The human rights
activist asks the administration of the MIA and the Supreme Court to
take measures to ensure the prompt delivery of detainees to court and
proposes that a judge keep duty on Sundays for the consideration of
such cases.