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Trade union activist in Mahilyow fined for distributing leaflets against foreign military bases

A judge of the Leninski District Court in Mahilyow on Tuesday sentenced trade union activist Yury Novikaw to a fine of 5,850,000 rubels ($635) for passing out leaflets against the possible establishment of foreign military bases in Belarus.

Judge Alena Volkava found the deputy chairman of the Free Trade Union guilty of distributing a news publication.

Mr. Novikaw was arrested for handing out the leaflets and collecting signatures to a petition against foreign military bases in Belarus in downtown Mahilyow on September 8. He was released later that day.

Speaking at his trial, Mr. Novikaw insisted that he had done nothing illegal. He denied that the leaflets were news publications.

Only one of the policemen who had arrested Mr. Novikaw attended the trial. However, Valery Pakhomaw said that he had no passport on him and was not allowed by the judge to testify.

When reached by BelaPAN, the activist condemned his trial as politically motivated and said that he would appeal the ruling to a higher court and take the case to the UN Human Rights Committee.

Mr. Volkaw was found guilty of the same offense earlier this year.