Połacak court on May 16 decided to fine the Free Trade Union activists Victor Stukov and Mikola Sharakh for conducting trade union action in the form of picketing. The fine amounted to respectively 25 and 30 basic amounts.
According to the judges, the action was prohibited Połacak district executive committee. The organizer of the picket spoke Belarusian Free Trade Union (BFTU) working JSC "Połacak-Fiberglass" plant. The union did not get the ban in writing from the local authorities to carry out trade union activities in the city center.
The trials of the leaders of the Free Trade Union were held separately but in the same time. The court hearing against Mikola Sharakh led Judge Vitaly Lapko and against Victor Stukov – Judge Julia M. Kolosovskaya. The court hearing against Viktor (Administrative article 23.34) went on for about half an hour, with the case of Mikola (Articles 23.34 and 23.4) dealt more than three hours.
From the police reports
The minutes drawn up by the police at the factory of the primary SPB chairman Victor Stukov and chairman of the regional organization of BFTU Mikola Sharakh, they were accused of organizing and participating in an unauthorized mass event. From the reports that each of the union leaders, "... in order to express protest about violations of the rights of workers of JSC" Połacak-Fiberglass "the actions of the employer, in violation of the established order of the Law of the Republic of Belarus" On Mass Events in the Republic of Belarus "organized and held pickets with flag Belarusian free Trade union, accompanied by a proliferation of printed materials "The Glass" №42 ».
Nicole was drawn more and protocol requirements for disobeying police during detention – "... I clutched his clothes and pushed the police than had disobeying the lawful demands of police officers".
Indications of the authorities
In both trials as witnesses were the deputy head of the department of ideological work, Culture and Youth Affairs of Połacak executive committee Ganebnaya N.V. and the senior inspector of the department of law enforcement and prevention of Połacak police department Police Major Igor Yemelyanov
Ganebnaya Natalia informed the court that the executive committee banned the rally and sent a decision letter to the union with notice of receipt. However, the letter was not delivered to the union and returned to the post office because the union office was closed.
Police Major Emelyanov claimed that the present trade union action around April 28. To the question "Why did not you warn the picketers on the illegality of the action?" I said that it is common practice that has developed in Belarus.
At the hearing Mikola Sharakh indications given more police Sergei Bogumirsky and Igor Skarabahaty that he was detained after a peaceful trade union action. According to the testimony of policemen they were ordered to detain the most active participant of the picket – they found that the most active was the one who held the longest flag of the Free Trade Union, and it was Mikola Sharah. Employees of Department of Internal Affairs stated that during the arrest of Mikola immediately introduced policemen, though they were dressed in civilian clothes. However, the police were confused in his testimony, could not say for sure which one of them a policeman showed identity. In addition, they claimed that attended the trade union action and saw two flags, even though there was only one flag SPB. According to Mikola, the police openly lied to the court, but it did not surprise anyone. That's really really practice prevailing in Belarus – police lie in the courts.
Precocity court's decision will be appealed
Those present at the hearings was surprised how quickly the judges Lapko and Kolosovskaya read out the court's decision to pre-prepared documents, not even leaving the room to make a decision.
Support in the court of Victor and Mikola came to 16 people, which were distributed between the two court rooms. By the way, Połacak court allocated for these cases the largest courtrooms that can accommodate more than fifty people each. Also on this day there was congestion of police officers in the court in the form and without, but to be present in court to citizens and they do not interfere with the passport data inputs are not copied.
Thus, for organizing and participating in trade union action, which took place on April 28, the leaders of the Belarusian Free Trade Union of Victor Stukov was fined 5.25 million rubles. Deputy Chairman of the Belarusian Free Trade Union Republican Mikola Sharakh for disobeying police picket and a fine of 6.3 million rubles. The court's decision has not yet entered into force and will be challenged by trade unionists in the Vitebsk regional court. In their view, the courts did not take into account the legal norms of the legislation of Belarus, international treaties that regulate the activities of trade unions. The final decision of the court will be known around the end of June 2016.
