English

Human rights defenders identify 31 people charged in mass riot case

 

The Vyasna human rights group announced on Monday that it had identified all the 31 suspects charged in a so-called mass riot case that the Minsk police instituted over the December 19 post-election protest, BelaPAN said.

The 31 people might face prison terms of up to 15 years, if they are found guilty as charged.

The list includes five former presidential candidates Uladzimir Nyaklyayew, Alyaksey Mikhalevich, Vital Rymashewski, Andrey Sannikaw and Mikalay Statkevich. All of them but for Mr. Rymashewski who was freed earlier this month on his personal recognizance are held in the detention center of the Committee for State Security (KGB).

The list of those charged in the case also features the ex-candidates` campaign aides, including Mr. Sannikaw’s allies Dzmitry Bandarenka, Alyaksandr Atroshchankaw and Uladzimir Kobets, Mr. Nyaklyayew’s aides Syarhey Vaznyak, Andrey Dzmitryew and Alyaksandr Fyaduta, Mr. Rymashewski’s aide Pavel Sevyarynets, Mr. Statkevich’s aides Alyaksandr Arastovich and Syarhey Martsalyow, as well as three allies of former presidential candidate Yaraslaw Ramanchuk - Aleh Korban, Anatol Lyabedzka and Anatol Pawlaw.

The formal charge was also brought against a deputy chair of the Malady Front opposition youth group, Anastasiya Palazhanka; former police officer Alyaksandr Klaskowski; Mr. Sannikaw’s wife, prominent journalist Iryna Khalip; and the editor of the Charter’97 news site, Natallya Radzina, as well as two Russian citizens Artyom Breus and Ivan Gaponov who were rearrested after serving out a 10-day jail sentence over the protest.

The other suspects are eight men, with most of them charged in the case after they served a jail sentence over the demonstration. Those are Mikita Likhavid, Dzmitry Novik, Uladzimir Loban, Dzmitry Myadzvedz, Andrey Fedarkevich, Uladzimir Khamichenka, Pavel Vinahradaw and Andrey Paznyak.

The Minsk city police department announced on January 10 that it identified more than 120 people who had taken an “active part” in the demonstration.