Who are judges?

• Zmitser Pankavets, “Nasha Niva”
• 14.11.2008, 9:12

At a session on Thursday, Lukashenka ordered head of the Supreme Court Valyantsin Sukala to retire judges Alena Illyina, Valer Yesman and Tatsyana Paulyuchuk. They and prosecutor of the Minsk region Mikhail Snyahir are involved into a corruption scandal.

“What did in your view judges Illyina, Yesman, Paulyuchuk do? Judge Illyina coordinated her actions with Snyahir on phone (we see that not only opposition is bugged – editor’s note). Judges Yesman and Paulyuchuk decided to impose punishment on lessee Sidarovich allegedly for unauthorised replanning of the apartment,” Lukashenka emotionally noted.

All these judges are considered by the opposition to be the most odious. Alena Illyina sentenced Andrei Klimau to two years in a penal colony, and Andrei Kim to 1.5 years in jail. Valer Yesman sentenced “Zubr” members from Barysau Alyaksandr Kazakou and Zmitser Zubr to restraint of liberty. He also judged the Case of 14. Yesman was to consider a criminal case of Alyaksandr Barazenka in few weeks. Tatsyana Paulyuchuk is a conveyer of administrative arrests. She has sentenced some tens (or maybe more than a hundred) youth activists this year.

What were they punished for? For gross violations – political graffiti, a protest rally of entrepreneurs, an article on the Internet, using of foul language and urinating in public place. Isn’t it funny?

These absurd accusations delivered judges Illiyna, Paulyuchuk, and Yesman were taken in good faith. It couldn’t come to their mind to deliver verdict of not guilty. At the same time, these judges were involved in cases, far from being clean. Like prosecutors Kupryanau and Snyahir, they are notorious for political cases.

It has become clear today, who are appointed to judge dissidents.