Yezhy Hryhencha gets fined for collecting signatures

November 11, the Leninski District Court of Hrodna fined a well-known socio-political activist Yezhy Hryhencha.

Mr. Hryhencha was detained by police back on November 2, while collecting signatures for questions of “People's Referendum” as an activist of the civil initiative “Tell the Truth”.

Judge Yury Kazakevich ignored the circumstances of the administrative case and ruled that the activist was to be fined 1,350,000 roubles.

“A candidate was tried for such actions in Rechytsa during the local elections. The candidate was issued with a warning. We also know about a case when a person was sentenced to three days of arrest in Minsk for collecting signatures, which was considered as a violation of the law on mass events. This time, the Leninski District Court punished the activist for a violation of the electoral laws by failure to register the initiative group for the referendum at the Central Election Commission, which is required if a referendum is organized on people's initiative. However, the signatures of “People's Referendum” are collected under an appeal to the Chamber of Representatives of and President, who are required to initiate a referendum.

At the trial, Hryhencha not only told about it, but also asked to attach to the case the Law “On Applications of Citizens”. Neither the policemen who had detained him, nor those who had drawn up the violation report, nor those who had called the police have attended the trial. In fact, the judge had no questions to Hryhencha, as the penalty, the penalty had been prepared beforehand,” commented the regional coordinator of “Tell the Truth” Zmitser Bandarchuk.

Yezhy Hryhencha intends to appeal the verdict of the Leninski District Court of Hrodna.