English

Opposition activist in Barysaw sentenced to jail for protesting father's jailing

A judge of the Barysaw District Court on Monday sentenced opposition activist Ihar Askerka to 10 days in jail for staging a one-man protest against the jailing of his father, BelaPAN said.

Judge Iryna Pasyuk found the man guilty of participation in an unsanctioned mass event.

On March 11, Mr. Askerka Jr. displayed two signs in front of the district court's building. One of the signs read "Freedom to Political Prisoners" and the other said that the activist's father was in jail for greeting imprisoned former presidential candidate Andrey Sannikaw on his birthday.

Anatol Askerka and Ivan Shutko were sentenced to 15 and 10 days in jail, respectively, on March 10, one day after they were arrested. The two men demonstrated on March 8 at the center of Barysaw, displaying white-red-white flags and an image of Mr. Sannikaw, to mark his 58th birthday.