Pensioner from Barysau arrested for spreading independent editions

• 22.01.2008, 15:38

Pensioner from Barysau was arrested in Minsk in the underpass near Kamarousky Market for spreading newspaper “Narodnaya Volya” on 20 January. Militiamen also found copies of newspapers “Tovarishch,” “Nash Vybor,” “Svaboda Belarusi,” and “Nash Chas” in her bag.

The militiamen guarded Svyatlana Danilava to a militia department, where a report against her was drawn up on the article 23.34 of the Administrative Code (violation of the established order of organisation of mass event)on the ground that the newspaper “Nash Vybar” contained the information about the scheduled for 21 January rally of entrepreneurs. Independent newspapers were confiscated, a report of seizure was drawn up, human rights center Vyasna informs.

In spite of the fact that witnesses-militiamen Sasnouski V.V. and Serzhan M.S. gave inaccurate evidence, judge Savastsyan L.A. found the pensioner guilty and sentenced her to fine of 5 basic values (BYR 175.000).

Svyatlana Danilava sees no sense of appealing against the verdict of the court of Savetsky district of Minsk. She doesn’t trust the Belarusian justice.