English

Man in Brest appeals fine over "silent" protest

Stanislaw Fyadzko, a member of the Free Trade Union of Belarus, filed an appeal with the Brest Regional Court on Sunday against a fine that was imposed on him following a “silent” protest held in the city on July 6.

A judge of the city’s Leninski District Court found Mr. Fyadzko, who is also a local small business leader, guilty of participation in an unsanctioned mass event, sentencing him to the 700,000-rubel fine.

Speaking in court, Mr. Fyadzko said that he was arrested when passing by the venue of the protest of which he noted he was not aware.

“Fyadzko said that he learned only at the Leninski district police station following his arrest that the protest had been taking place on Savetskaya Street at that time,” human rights defender Raman Kislyak told BelaPAN. “Police at the scene did not warn citizens that the unsanctioned mass event was taking place and did not appeal to casual passers-by to go away.”

“No evidence was submitted in court that the policemen had been warning the public over the mass event,” Mr. Kislyak said, denouncing the fine as unfair.

A total of seven people were convicted in connection with the July 6 protest in the city.