“Zmena” activists arrested in Minsk
September 11, friends and relatives were unable to contact an activist of “Zmena” (youth wing of “Tell the Truth”) Yahor Viniatski. As reported by his mother, Aliaksandra Viniatskaya, whom he was allowed to phone after a trial, he was sentenced to 15 days of arrest. There is no information about the essence of the charges to him so far.
September 12, the Maskouski District Court of Minsk sentenced another “Zmena” activist, Pavel Vinahradau, to 15 days of arrest for alleged use of foul language in public (Article 17.1 of the Code of Administrative Offences, “disorderly conduct”). Moreover, he was found guilty of violating the rules of preventive supervision, established over him after release from jail, and fined 1.5 million roubles, and of drinking alcohol in public, and fined 450,000 roubles for it.
According to the police witnesses Kantsavy and Viarbitski, September 11 Mr. Vinahradau allegedly drank beer on the stadium near the police station. However, he was kept at the police station during the whole day on September 11. Nevertheless, Judge Tatsiana Motyl found him guilty. Pavel Vinahradau challenged the judge, but she declined the motion.
The activist pleaded guilty only to violating the rules of preventive supervision: he was out at the time when the police came to his home to check his whereabouts. In the morning on September 11 Mr. Vinahradau came to the police department for putting a registration mark in conformity with the rules of preventive supervision. However, he didn't return home from there.
September 12, one more “Zmena” activist, Vital Vasilkou, was sentenced to ten days of arrest by Judge Natallia Dziadkova under Articles 17.1, “disorderly conduct” and Article 23.34, “disobedience to lawful demands of police”.
