English

Gay procession participants sentenced to minimum fines

Seven people arrested during Saturday’s Slavic Gay Pride 2010 procession in Minsk were each sentenced Monday to a minimum fine of 17,500 rubels ($6) in their trials in Minsk’s Pershamayski District Court.

Alyaksandr Fyodaraw, Syarhey Yenin, Vital Kavalewski, Ulad Harbatski and Aleh Hruvich, as well as two citizens of Russia, Dmitry Milkov and Aleksandr Sheremetyev, were found guilty of participation in an unsanctioned demonstration, human rights defender Irynal Towstsik told BelaPAN.

All the seven men spent two days in detention following their arrest.

One more arrested participant was not tried, as he walked away from a police station where the eight were brought from the detention center on Akrestsina Street.

About 30 people took part in the procession, which took place on Surhanava Street. The gays and lesbians walked a few dozen yards, chanting “No to Homophobia!” “Equal Rights without Compromises!” and “Homophobia is a Disease!” and displaying a 40-foot-long rainbow flag, before stopping for speeches at the number one building Surhanava Street.

The crowd attempted to go farther but was violently stopped by personnel of the Minsk-based police Special Task Regiment.

The gay parade had been banned by the Minsk City Executive Committee.