MP candidate Ales Chyhir arrested for 10 days

• 29.07.2008, 9:51

The Babruisk district court punished potential MP candidate representing the democratic forces Ales Chyhir with 10 days of arrest and a fine of 60 basic units, or two million and one hundred thousand Belarusian rubles.

Judge of the Babruisk district court Alyaksei Klimau found the politician guilty of disorderly conduct, disobedience to militia orders and damage of a taxi, Radio Svaboda reports.

The judgement will come in force in five days. Before this, Ales Chyhir will have an opportunity to appeal against the judgement to the Mahilou region court.

Ales Chyhir doesn’t confess his guilt and finds the judgement to be politically motivated.

“They wanted me to stop my electoral campaign, but I won’t do it. I am going to appeal against the judgement of the Babruisk court,” Ales Chyhir told to Radio Svaboda.

Ales Chyhir was detained at night 29 May, when he was returning home with his family by a taxi. After a taxi driver was paid off, Ales asked him for a receipt. The driver began to quarrel. When Chyhir’s wife and daughter got out of the car, the taxi drive took off and disappeared with Ales inside. The driver stopped near militia patrol, who guarded him to a militia station. According to Chyhir, he was beaten up in the militia station.

Ales Chyhir worked as a teacher in Babruisk secondary school 8 for thirteen years. He was fired in 2006. Protesting against the dismissal, he enchained himself to a pole opposite the building of the Babruisk city executive committee. He was punished with 10 days of administrative arrest for this action. Ales Chyhir was a deputy in the Babruisk city council in 2003–2007. Married, has three underage children.