Recognizing the photo shoot on a background of urban graffiti unauthorized picketing, Zheleznodorozhny District Court of Vitebsk fined six participants. Attempts to appeal this decision to the Regional Court have had no success. Now the complaint to the chairman of the regional court.
According to human rights activist Paul Levinau participants photoshoot decided to finish the job - if you have to, then apply and United Nations Human Rights Committee: "There have been attempts to challenge the decision of the court of first instance - did not work. Then we tried to invite the President of the Regional sudv to postpone the execution of the decision until he is familiar with our deeds. But here, all were refused. They decided to appeal to the District Court, we were allowed to pay the fine in installments, since the penalty is not such a big income to pay one time more than three million rubles - and then refused."
Paul Levinau was also one of udelnikav photo shoot, which took place in Vitebsk in early November 2014. Participants agreed to be photographed against the backdrop of the famous graffiti in the city - three images of cells that break free bird made of newspaper. To continue the theme of freedom of the press, raised by an unknown artist, the people in the photographs are also kept in the hands of one paper cells, and who - made from newspapers origami birds.
These photos hit the Internet on November 5, when the world held an international solidarity campaign "Stand Up for Journalism". Participants in a photo shoot, which included human rights activists, journalists and social activists fined as participants in an unsanctioned picketing. Photo session took place without attention to the police, but two weeks after the appearance of photos on the Internet everyone learned from the photo, called the head of the department of prevention and protection of law and order police Zheleznodorozhny District Alexander Rybak. He questioned the participants photo shoot, and, despite their explanations, draw up a protocol violation.
At the trial of each participant photoshoot Police Major Rybakov was the only witness. He said that the order to deal with the people in the photos received from the management of the regional department of the Ministry of Interior, and that, in his opinion, the participants of the photo shoot "expressed their social and political interests." The fact that all people have the right to freedom of expression, did not consider any police officer or the court.
A fine of 20 basic units received journalists Elena Stepanova (Judge Denis Gubanov), Kastus Mardzvincau (Judge Elena Tsygankova), Dmitry Kazakevitch (Judge Elena Tsygankova). A fine of 18 basic units awarded activist organizing committee of the BCD Elena Shabunya (Judge Denis Gubanov). Vitebsk coordinator of the organizing committee of the BCD Tatiana Sevyarynets and defender Paul Levinau were awarded a fine of 25 basic units (Judge Elena Tsygankova). The same judge sentenced him to three days of arrest Vitebsk resident Peter Berlinova - a passerby, who joined the photo shoot Vitebsk journalists and activists.
To pay fines in installments were not allowed any of the above persons. Railway district court judge did not consider that the penalty has among the unemployed, pensioners with low pensions, such as Tatiana Sevyarynets, and Elena Shabunya is disabled third group on sight and also lives on a pension, while it raises one of three children, two of them - minors.
"I have tried to challenge the decision to refuse in installments - said Paul Levine. He showed a receipt that get a pension, and others - that 600,000 to pay only for utilities. Showed a certificate of his father's death, which has only recently buried, and that, also known to the high cost ... However, the judge Elena Tsygankova did not find sufficient evidence to allow the repayment of fines for several months - neither for me nor for the others. we were treated as if we paid a very great harm to the city and the rule of law in it, just to be photographed against graffiti! Nowhere in the world of photography for such do not punish."
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