Pavel Seviarynets, Several More Activists Fined For Defense Of Kurapaty

The total amount of all fines is $6018.

On April 18, the court of the Minsk district started hearings on the cases of the Kurapaty defenders at 9 o'clock in the morning, the human rights center “Viasna” reports.

Philip Shaurou was the first to stand trial. Judge A. Kolabau found the activist guilty under two articles of the Code of Administrative Offenses: 17.1, which is “petty hooliganism”, and 23.4 “Disobedience to the lawful demand of an official while performing his official duties”, and fined Philip Shaurou for 40 base fees.

At 10 o'clock, the trial of activist Valer Rabtsau began, he defended himself.

The case was handled by judge Angelika Kazlova. Valer Rabtsau was accused of “petty hooliganism” (Article 17.1 of the Code of Administrative Offenses), which he allegedly committed on April 4 in the Kurapaty stove. The activist filed a petition to study the case materials and to summon a witness.

After the break, Valer Rabtsau told the court that he had come to Kurapaty to find out if Zaslaul Stroy Industry was an organization that had permission to demolish the crosses. He noted that he physically could not be in the place where the protocol was drawn up at 11.30, as it is written in the said document. Valer Rabtsau filmed the detention of people with the camera of his phone, but soon officers in plain clothes jumped up to him, grabbed the phone, deleted the video and reset the settings to the factory ones. Rabtsau notes that he saw some plain-clothed officers detaining activist Nina Bahinskaya, Vital Tryhubau. As for himself, somebody approached him silently from behind, knocked out the telephone, twisted his arms, and threw him into the bus. The activist did not see who did all this. After that, he was held for nine hours in the police department and then sent to the temporary detention facility.

Riot police officer Vital Atrasevich testified in court as a witness. He claimed that the equipment and the crosses were fenced, Nina Bahinskaya lay down on the cross, and at this moment Rabtsau was filming a video inside a fenced area. When police officers carried Bahinskaya into a special vehicle, Rabtsau and Sabaleuski tried to prevent the detention. After that, Valer was detained, and Sabaleuski escaped. Vital Atrasevich himself took part in the arrest of Valer Rabtsau.

However, the activist insists that there was no fence. He filed a petition to watch the video from the scene of the incident, but the judge rejected it because it is not known who made the video, and there is no Rabtsau in it anyway.

Mikhail Sabaleuski was to stand trial next. He testified that the equipment was not properly fenced, and he did not see employees in uniform. When they started detaining Rabtsau, he fled, as he was afraid of the people in civilian clothes.

Judge Angelika Kazlova found Valer Rabtsau’s guilt “well proven”, and fined him for 6 base fees.

Mikhail Sabaleuski’s case was considered by judge Pavel Zhechka. Like Valer Rabtsau, he was charged with “petty hooliganism.” The activist was fined for 10 base fees.

At 11 a.m. the trial of 72-year-old Nina Bahinskaya began. Viktar Shautsou was the judge in her case. Nina Bahinskaya herself did not appear at the trial. Consideration of the administrative case under Article 17.1 of the Code of Administrative Offenses in relation to her was postponed to April 26.

At 2 p.m., the consideration of Zmitser Dashkevich’s case began. He was charged under two articles - 17.1 and 23.4 of the Code of Administrative Offenses. Judge Aliaksei Krapachou handled the case. The witness was police officer Shcharbakou. The judge found Zmitser Dashkevich guilty of the alleged offenses and fined him for 50 base fees.

At 3 p.m. the trials of the Young Front leader Dzianis Urbanovich and activist Vital Tryhubau began. The case of Dzianis Urbanovich was considered by judge Angelika Kazlova, and Vital Tryhubau was tried by Viktar Shautsou. Both were also accused under two articles of the Code of Administrative Offenses - “petty hooliganism” and “disobedience to an official”. Shcharbakou testified against Tryhubau as well.

The judge fined Vital Tryhubau for 20 base feess. Dzianis Urbanovich was fined for 50 base fees.

Leader of the Belarusian Christian Democracy Pavel Seviarynets was delivered to the court. His case was considered by judge Kolabau. On April 4, two administrative offenses protocols were made in relation to him, under the same articles as the ones of other Kurapaty defenders. In the courtroom, Pavel Seviarynets met with his wife and son, who came to support him.

Important to note, on April 7, judge Pavel Zhechka arrested Pavel Seviarynets for 15 days.

This time the activist was found guilty again, however, he was punished with a fine of 50 base fees.

At 4:30 p.m., judge Aliaksei Krapachou considered the case against Valiantsina Yaromenok. The woman was charged under Article 17.1 and 23.4 of the Code of Administrative Offenses. She was also fined for 10 base fees.

In the morning of April 4, it became known that the officials of the Barauliany special forestry enterprise massively demolished crosses in Kurapaty. The defenders of the memorial were outraged by such actions, and the police began to detain them en masse. Some activists were held in the temporary detention center after being detained in the police department of the Minsk district.