Participants of entrepreneurs’ protest released early
- 25.01.2008, 14:31
22 people sentenced to 15 days of arrest for participation in the entrepreneurs’ protest action on 10 January, have been released today. Among them are Anatol Shumchanka, leader of the republican public organisation “Perspektiva,” and Anatol Lyabedzka, head of the United Civil Party.
Anatol Lyabedzka confirmed in the interview to “Belorusski Partizan” that investigators from the Minsk prosecutor’s office visited political prisoners and questioned them on the criminal case on mass riot in Minsk on 10 January. “We are witnesses yet. I was interrogated for an hour, others were interrogated for less time as far as I know. A period is not yet put to the issue. We’ll see what comes next,” A. Lyabedzka said.
According to the Administrative Code, political prisoners serving their terms in the special prison facility on Akrestin Street, were to be released after 4.00pm, because most of the people had been detained at that time on 10 January. But representatives of oppositional parties and movements, relatives of the arrested and interested people came to meet the democratic activists, the authorities may have been scared by a mass demonstration with flowers and national symbols near the gates of the prison.
All activists, arrested for 15 days, have been released in the morning. The people released are:
1. Raman Bahdanovich
2. Alyaksandr Barazenka
3. Paval Vinahradau
4. Arseny Pakhomau
5. Syarhei Klyueu
6. Palina Kuryanovich
7. Anatol Lyabedzka
8. Yan Mikhailau
9. Mikhail Pashkevich
10. Mikhail Kryvau
11. Alyaksandr Stsepanenka
12. Uladzimir Shyla
13. Anatol Shumchanka
14. Yury Barkun
15. Artsyom Dubsky
16. Andrei Radzivonau
17. Ihar Zhabarouski
18. Alyaksandr Vazhakou
19. Alyaksandra Lyndava
20. A.Y. Zorka
21. Yury Kuksyuk
22. Ales Charnyshou
Participants of the entrepreneurs’ rally stood trials in the courts of Tsentralny and Maskouski districts. The people were accused of violating two articles of the Administrative Code: “participation in unauthorised event” and “minor hooliganism.” Six activists - Raman Bahdanovich, Paval Vinahradau, Alyaksandr Barazenka, Alyaksandra Lyndava, Ihar Zhabarouski and Yan Mikhailau went on hunger strike in protest.
The judgements were given by judges of Maskouski district Gusakova O.A., Rudnitskaya Y.B., Audzeyenka V.A., Kuznyatsova N.A., Shastakou Y.V., Kazak V.V., Fralova Y.G., Shylko Y.N., and judges of Tsentralny district Tatyana Paulyuchuk and Alyaksei Bychko.
All in all 23 people were got arrests for the action on 10 January. Tatyana Tishkevich, sentenced to 20 days of arrest, is still in special prison facility on Akrestin Street. It is known, the girl had been beaten brutally when being detained, and an emergency ambulance was called for her to the court. The girl is seriously ill now. According to Vera Stramkouskaya, Tishkevich is most likely to have lung troubles.
Leaders of entrepreneurs Alyaksandr Makayeu and Alyaksandr Taustyka as well as approximately 20 activists of entrepreneurs’ and youth movements, detained after the actions on 10 and 21 January, remain in the special prison facility on Akrestin Street.