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Judge fines opposition candidate for Minsk City Soviet

A judge of the Savetski District Court in Minsk on Thursday imposed a fine of 5,200,000 rubels ($530) on Syarhey Vaznyak, an opposition candidate for the city soviet, for holding a campaign rally without giving prior notice to authorities.

“The Electoral Code says that a candidate should notify the Minsk City Executive Committee of plans to hold a campaigning event two days in advance,” the activist of the “Tell the Truth!” movement told BelaPAN.

Mr. Vaznyak stressed that he had delivered a notice to the city government as required by the Electoral Code, but the authorities had denied receiving any notice from him.

The rally in question took place on February 22. One hour into the event, police officers told Mr. Vaznyak that he had failed to notify the city authorities of the rally and ordered the event stopped. The activist obeyed.

“I thought that would be the end of the story,” said Mr. Vaznyak. “But days later a charge sheet was drawn up.”

Speaking at his trial, Mr. Vaznyak suggested examining footage from surveillance cameras, which he said will show him drop the notice into the mailbox inside the Minsk City Executive Committee’s building. Judge Maryna Fyodarava rejected the request.

The activist plans to appeal the fine to the Minsk City Court.