Human rights defenders Uladzimir Labkovich and Tatsiana Reviaka punished with fines
The members of the Human Rights Center
"Viasna" Uladzimir Labkovich and Tatsiana Reviaka were
familiarized with the new violation reports at the Savetski District
Police Department of Minsk. 40 minutes after it they were taken to
the Savetski District Court of Minsk.
11.35 a.m. Tatsiana
Reviaka and Uladzimir Labkovich are in the Savetski District Court.
They are charged with violating the order of organizing and holding
mass events (Article 23.34 of the Code of Administrative Violations).
It is not known so far, who will consider their cases.
12.30.
According to human rights activist Anastasiya Loika, the case of
Uladzimir Labkovich will be considered by Judge Dzmitry Pauliuchenka,
and the case of Tatsiana Reviaka – by Judge Maryna Fiodarava.
1.10
p.m. Judge Dzmitry Pauliuchenka went away for the lunch
break.
1.20 p.m. The consideration of the
administrative case against Uladzimir Labkovich started. The human
rights defender didn't deny handing out postcards with the portrait
of Ales Bialiatski, but disagreed to the qualification of this deed
as participation in an unauthorized mass event.
2.10 Judge
Paulyuchenka fined Mr. Labkovich 3 million rubles, finding him guilty
of a violation of part 1 of Article 23.34 of the Code of
Administrative Violations. He characterized Labkovich's actions as
picketing by means of handing out postcards, which is an expression
of the civil position.
2.12 The trial of Tatsiana Reviaka
started.
2.40 Tatsiana Reviaka was fined 3 million rubles.
***
Late in the evening of 5 August police officers
called Uladzimir Labkovich and invited him to the Savetski District
Police Department at 11 a.m. on 6 August. A similar invitation was
also received by Tatsiana Reviaka.
Bear in mind that on 5
August police detained human rights activists Uladzimir Labkovich and
Tatsiana Reviaka and took them to the Savetski District Police
Department. The detainees were given charges under Art. 23.34 of the
Code of Administrative Violations (violation of the order of
organizing and holding mass events). Their mobile phones were taken
away.
However, the violation reports contained some defects,
as a result of which the judge sent them back for revision.
In
his interview with the European Radio for Belarus Uladzimir Labkovich
mentioned the mistake the police made in the reports:
"They
did not specify what provision of the Law “On Mass Events” we
have broken. Article 23.34 of the Code of Administrative Violations
refers to another law, that's why the Administrative Procedure Code
requires the indication of what specific legal norm has been
violated."