Trial under Yury Rubtsou for contempt of a judge (updated)

The Central District Court of Minsk is investigating criminal case today against activist Yury Rubtsou fom Homel. He is charge with a malfeasance under the article 391 of the Criminal Code “Contempt of a judge or a lay judge”. Process is conducted by Judge Natallia Vajcekhovich.

Investigation against Rubtsou began on 5 August, when he was examined as a suspect in the Soviet department of the Investigative Committee of Minsk. The basis of the charges - a statement of the judge of the Soviet district of Minsk Kyril Poluleh, who claims that during the investigation of the administrative case of Yury Rubtsou on April 28, he allegedly offended the judge by abusive words.

For contempt of a judge connected with his commitment of justice the Article provides various types of punishment - a fine, correctional labor for up to two years, the arrest for a term from three to six months, or custodial restraint for a term up to three years.

The Human Rights Center “Viasna” is closely monitoring the criminal case of Yury Rubtsou, and providing him all possible in this situation support.

14-50. Activists and human rights defenders are coming to the court. According to the deputy president of the Human Rights Center “Viasna” Valiantsin Stefanovich, the police detained the activist Illia Dabratvor near the court. They didn’t like the shirt that he was dressed in.

15-00. Independent journalists Aliaksandr Barazenka, Natallia Valakida and Siarhey Satsiuk-Hrabowski were detained near the Central District Court. Barys Haretsky is writing on Facebook that they are delivered to the Leninsky district police department. According to Natallia Valakida, the detention was carried by people in civilian, who also came with journalists to the police department.

15-20. The trial began. Yury Rubtsou made a motion of no confidence in the judge. The judge is deciding if satisfy this motion.

17-00. The next court hearing is going to be on October 6.
The judge questioned Yury Rubtsou. He explained that on April 28 he was taken half-naked and without glasses to the court of the Soviet district of Minsk and these facts offended his dignity. In addition, he was unable to read the materials of the administrative case, because he was without glasses. Therefore he said that it was "not a court, but judicatory."

Then there was a questioning of the victim - judge of the court of the Soviet district of Minsk Kyril Poluleh.

Witnesses also were questioned: police officer Sharco and Andrey Bely, as well as the officer of a police department Paval Nelubovich who was at the hearing of the case and the administrative secretary Daria Stasiuk. All of them confirmed the words of the judge Poluleh that Rubtsov offended the judge. They reported that Rubtsou’s speech was obscene, and he was saying that it is not a court, but judicatory, and also called the judge Kyril Poluleh “scum.”
Not all the witnesses presented at the hearing, may be that was the reason of postponement of the trial to 10 am on 6 October.