Kalyakin, Lyabedzka and Atroshchankau are fined to 10 basic units - photos

In the court of Orsha a trial has begun against detainees in "Minsk-Moscow" train, chairman of "A Just World" Party Sergei Kalyakin, UCP leader Anatol Lyabedzka and former political prisoner, coordinator of "European Belarus" Alyaksandr Atroshchankau.

Kalyakin, Lyabedzka and Atroshchankau accused on Article.17.1 of Administrative Code (petty hooliganism), for which a fine ranging from 2 to 30 basic units or administrative arrest are specified. For more than a day they have spent in the detention center of Orsha. The exact time of the process beginning is unknown as the names of detainees are not in the schedule of hearings on March 29.

We remind the politicians were detained on the night of March 28, when they were going to Moscow, from where they should fly to Brussels for a meeting with European Commissioner for Enlargement and Neighborhood Policy Stefan Fule.

The whole day in front of the Orsha court party activists, human rights defenders and relatives of the detainees were on duty. However, the hearing didn't start, and they were not able to get almost any information about the detainees.

At 11:00 in the office of "A Just World" Party the press conference with Deputy Chairman of "A Just World" Valery Ukhnalev and UCP Deputy Chairman Lev Margolin has begun.

10:50. Near the porch of Orsha municipal court several activists met, who are waiting, when Lebedko, Kalyakin and Atroshchankau will be brought to the hearing, Radio Liberty informs.

Father of Atroshchankau was informed that at 12 o'clock the circuit court in the linear police department at the railway station of Orsha will be held, Lev Margolin said during the press conference. The politician has suggested that by this information they want to misinform activists who are on duty outside the court, so in their absence to hold the meeting there.

11.15. Margolin expressed outrage on the situation with the detention of opposition politicians.

"The state power first does and then thinks. Their are tried for two days and they cannot condemn them", deputy chairman of the UCP said during the press conference. At the same time he called the good news that Moscow was not ready to support the Belarusian authorities' list of restricted to go abroad. This, the politician believes, is evidenced by the fact that the opposition was taken off the train in Orsha, even until the border with Russia.

12.10. Detained opposition leaders were brought to the court, the process has begun. The hearing conducts the judge Natalia Boitsova. Staff members of the city police department said they fulfilled the court's decision not to let anyone into the hall. They argue the trial is closed, Radio Liberty informs.

12.30. Even the father of one of the defendants Sergey Atroshchankau is not allowed to present in the courtroom. He made ​​a record in the book of complaints.

Policemen in the rank of major and lieutenant lined up on the ladder and do not let anyone, including journalists, to the third floor of the court, where the hearing is going on, the chairman of Orsha city organization "A Just World" Nikolai Demidov informed. According to him, about 15 people want to get into the process. Vitebsk rights activist Valery Shchukin was trying to break into the hearing when he was not allowed, he blocked the door with his body, leading to the third floor to avoid being shut down.



Commenting on the closed nature of the court, Nikolai Demidov said that "good things are always made in public. And snide ones are made in secret". He suggested that the oppositionists will be sentenced to several days of administrative arrest, credited those days they spent in the detention center before the trial.

13.10. Wife Sergei Kalyakin, who arrived in Orsha, are also not allowed on the court hearing.

14.00. Tatiana Kalyakina said that at the beginning she was not allowed above the first floor of the court. Then, she was able to go up to the third floor, but she was given no information about her husband. Could not get into any office, nor to the court's reception, to file a complaint - everything is blocked.

15:00. 8 people are let in the courtroom, the press service of the UCP informs. Everyone was searched. In the hall no one is present. Probably they will announce the verdict. Laptops, cell phones and cameras in the courtroom was not allowed.

As the head of UCP Orsha organization Vladimir Yurzhits informed, detainees refused from state attorneys. Alexander Atroshchankau was refused to appoint his father as attorney. The court will proceed without advocates.

15.50. The hearing resumed. After a break in the courtroom only seven were allowed to let in, among them - the father of Alexander Atroshchankau Sergei and the wife of Sergei Kalyakin Tatiana.

18.00. People who didn't get into the courtroom, forced to leave the building and to be on duty on the street, as a working day in court is over.

It is known, that Vitebsk human rights activist Valery Shchukin was detained and will stay in police department until tomorrow.

18.40. Judge Natalia Boitsova has sentenced Kalyakin, Lyabedzka and Atroshchankau to fines of 10 basic units (Br350, 000). They are released in the courtroom.