Picks of the week

Public prosecutor demands a fine of 1000 base values for Maryna Zolatava

On February 25, oral arguments took place in the criminal trial of Maryna Zolatava, TUT.BY chief editor, who is accused of omission of an executive. The public prosecutor demanded a fine of one thousand base values (approximately $12,000) for Maryna Zolatava. The verdict will be announced on Monday, March 4, at 12.30 am.

Picket for political prisoners results in detentions

On February 26, a picket "Freedom for political prisoners" took place at October Square in Minsk. The action lasted about 30 minutes; 11 participants were counterbalanced by 19 plain-cloth police officers. They did not interfere with the protest but were filming everything on camera. A few participants of the action were detained later: the activist of European Belarus Artsiom Charniak and Volha Nikalajchyk. Half an hour before the picket, co-chair of Belarusian Christian Democratic Party Pavel Seviarynets who initiated the action was detained outside his home. In the following days, Leanid Kulakou and Maya Navumava were also detained. 

Picket "Freedom for political prisoners"

Trials took place only on March 1, so the activists had to spend from 1 to 3 days in a temporary detention facility. Pavel Seviarynets was punished with 10 days of arrest for organizing an unauthorized mass event, other activists were fined 45 base values each.

Belarus' delegation visited the World Congress against Death Penalty

From February 26 to March 1 Brussels hosted the World Congress Against the Death Penalty. This world’s leading abolitionist event brought together politicians, activists, lawyers, researchers, etc. who are involved in the cause of abolition of the death penalty.

Human rights activists Andrej Paluda, Julia Ouahnon, Valiantsin Stefanovich and others

In cooperation with ECPM, FIDH, Council of Europe, activists from the Human Rights Center Viasna held a side event "Why death penalty continues to be applied in Belarus?" The event highlighted violations related to the use of the death penalty in Belarus from the point of view of death convicts' relatives, local activists and representatives of international organizations.

Mikhail Zhamchuzhny placed in security housing unit for three months

Mikhail Zhamchuzhny will stay in the secure housing unit in the next three months. He was ordered to be moved there on 21 February after having served another 10 days in disciplinary segregation.

In total, since the transfer of Mikhail Zhamchuzhny to the Horki penal colony in July 2017 he has been subjected to disciplinary measures 26 times.

Mikhail Zhamchuzhny in court

On February 6, the Horki District Court of Mahilioŭ region considered the appeal of the prisoner concerning the penalties imposed on the political prisoner in March 2018. In his appeal, Mikhail Zhamchuzhny indicated that he had given both oral and written explanations that his refusal to return to the general unit was caused by conflicts between him and other convicts. He returned to the unit twice, but couldn't stay there for a long time because other prisoners had threatened him with physical violence.

Judge Alena Varabjova denied the appeal.

Mikhail Zhamchuzhny has appealed her decision in the Mahilioŭ Regional Court.

The political prisoner plans to soon refile a supervisory appeal to the Supreme Court.