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Two more opposition activist fined over demonstration against compulsory military service

A judge of the Tsentralny District Court ion Minsk on Thursday sentenced opposition activists Yawhen Kontush and Dzmitry Paliyenka to a fine of one 1.2 million rubels ($135) each.

The judge found the activists of the Russian-based outlawed National Bolshevik Party (Nazbol) guilty of acting in violation of regulations governing "mass events."

Messrs. Kontush and Paliyenka as well as Nazbol activists Alyaksandr Hulevich and Alyaksandr Palyakow were arrested near their homes in Minsk on August 8, apparently over a demonstration against compulsory military service that had been staged near the defense ministry’s office two days earlier.

Messrs. Hulevich, Kontush and Paliyenka were charged with violating regulations governing mass events and taken to the Tsentralny District Court, while Mr. Palyakow, who has not yet turned 18, was released without charges.

Mr. Hulevich was sentenced to a fine of one million rubels ($112), while the charge sheets against Messrs. Kontush and Paliyenka back to the police for additional work.

During the demonstration participants hung a banner saying, "Down with the army of slaves!" on the fence near the building and scattered flyers highlighting the disadvantages of compulsory service and the advantages of voluntary service. //BelaPAN