Viciebsk October district court judge Elena Protas, first appearances of democracy activists, awarded May 17 members of the BPF Leonid Autukhou and Kastus Smolikau to 30 basic units (to 3 million) fine on anyone.
However, most of those present at the trial of activists, journalists and human rights activists do not hit the fines, and that the judge practically deprived chairman of the regional branch of the BPF Leonid Autukhou opportunity to participate in the trial. Elena Protas about seven times rejected petitions Autukhou to an interpreter as he speaks Russian imperfectly. The judge denied this, saying that Leonid Avtukhov went to school there and studied Russian language. In this case, in its view, the translator is not needed.
On the question of whether it is taught in school Belarusian, and why can not formulate the questions in this state language, Elena Protas did not answer. Mr. Autukhou was forced to file a petition for disqualification of a judge, but it was also rejected. When he complained about the judicial misconduct Protas to the chairman of the court, the answer was that it will review the complaint and give an answer within a month.
Without an interpreter Avtukhov could not be sure that all understand during the process, and so many times asked to repeat or did not respond to some questions of the judge. Elena Protas ordered that the secretary recorded in the minutes of that Avtukhov refuses to give explanations. But he refused, and asked to write down the opposite: that he is ready to answer questions of the court, when it will be able to understand them. There is no information, what language is written the words of Autukhou and his fellow party member Smolikau, who also spoke Belarusian. So activists are not sure that their statements were not distorted by non-professional translation.
It did not help the appeal to the Constitution: Leonid Avtukhou argued that every citizen has the right to use their native language, and no one has the right to discriminate against people based on ethnicity. But the judge affirmed that. And issued the indictment ruling: Leonid recognized Autukhou and Constantine Smolikova guilty of violating the law on mass media.
Recall, March 22, before Freedom Day, activists handed out at the mall, "Evikom" party newsletter "The Magistrate". They were arrested, accused of calling for organizing an unsanctioned rally and put on 5 days. A month later, they were put up against another charge: the amount confiscated copies of the bulletin exceeds the stated circulation. And the ballots in the presence of police detainees were not listed.
During the trial, police officers testified, using a unit of measurement, as a "big stack" or "thick wads". Judge Helen Protas, this argument quite suited. It just clarifies it looked larger than allowed by the legislation of 299 copies. And the police agree. The process lasted about 2 hours.
Radio Liberty
