Harbachou acquitted by Barysau court

Viktar Harbachou, the leader of small-size entrepreneurs in Belarus, today was acquitted by a district court in Barysau. Harbachou, his wife and 13-year-old son today were detained at the local train station after an unknown man tried to provoke him into a fight. Harbachou was charged with cursing, but even the policeman who acted as a witness during the hearing did not lie and said that he didn't hear Harbachou cursing.

The defense included a lot of witnesses and many local civil activists who came to support Harbachou. The first judge resigned from the case saying that he studied together with Harbachou at the Belarus State University. The other judge closed the case without any charges.

Viktar Harbachou commented on the situation to the European Radio for Belarus:

“Clearly, this was an attempt to isolate or intimidate me ahead of the January 10 protest and to hint to all the entrepreneurs that everyone can be in my shoes”.

Harbachou says he did not expect that the case would be closed and was preparing to spend several days in jail. On January 10, entreperneurs are planned to stage a protest rally on the central square in Minsk, so the authorities could have isolated Harbachou as one of the rally organizers.