English

Rymashewski facing new charge over signature-collection event

The Kastrychnitski district police department in Minsk has charged former presidential candidate Vital Rymashewski with a civil offense over his participation in an event held in front of a hypermarket to gather ballot-access signatures for a city soviet contender fielded by Belarusian Christian Democracy (BCD), the opposition party's press office told BelaPAN.

It was not immediately clear what the BCD co-chairman was accused of.

Earlier this month, Mr. Rymashewski was fined 1,950,000 rubels on a charge of making a knowingly false report to the police.

The charge was brought against Mr. Rymashewski over a signature-collection event that was held near Kamarowski Rynak, a marketplace at the center of Minsk, on February 2 by BCD activist Maryna Khomich.

Ms. Khomich, chairperson of Belarusian Christian Democracy’s youth wing, is seeking to run in March’s city soviet elections.

Signature collectors phoned the police after people in civilian clothes approached them and started hurling insults and making threats.

Nevertheless, the charge sheet against him claimed that a police detail had been dispatched to Kamarowski Rynak in response to his call.