Brest Regional Court turns down Ales Mekh's appeal

On January 15, the Brest Regional Court considered the appeal of the civil society activist Ales Mekh against the verdict of the Kobryn District Court, according to which he was found guilty of participating in an unauthorized mass event (honoring of the rebels of 1863, held on October 26, 2014 in the town of Svislach and the village of Yakushouka in Hrodna region) and sentenced to a fine.

Judge Natallia Surma read out the appeal, gave the floor to Aliaksandr Mekh and then read the text of the verdict, which was prepared in advance, without leaving the courtroom. By this verdict the court upheld the verdict of the Kobryn District Court, leaving the fine in force.

As reported by Mr. Mekh, the judge ignored his arguments that laying flowers to the monument to the heroes of the Kalinouski uprizing didn't require any official permissions, as it wasn't a picket or a rally. He also pointed that the police hadn't made any remarks to those who had been laying flowers to the monument, i.e. they hadn't been informed about the possible administrative punishment for it.

Ales Mekh disagrees with the verdict and is going to challenge it at a higher court instance.