Oppositionists in Vitsebsk get 15 days of arrest
Barys Khamayda and Aliaksandr Salauyan today appeared in a Vitsebsk court on charges of staging an unauthorized picket. They were detained on January 29 while attempting to hang two white-red-white flags near one of the houses on Pravda Street.
Independent activist Barys Khamayda and Aliaksandr Salauyan, a member of the Conservative Christian Party of the Belarusian Popular Front, refused to communicate with the judge in the Russian language, thus forcing the court to put off the hearing for 24 hours. Eventually, one of the local teachers agreed to act as a translator into Belarusian durng today's trial.
Khamayda was sentenced to 15 days of arrest, while Salauyan received 12 days of arrest. Friends managed to pass personal belongings, foodstuffs and fruits to the arrested oppositionists.
Independent activist Barys Khamayda and Aliaksandr Salauyan, a member of the Conservative Christian Party of the Belarusian Popular Front, refused to communicate with the judge in the Russian language, thus forcing the court to put off the hearing for 24 hours. Eventually, one of the local teachers agreed to act as a translator into Belarusian durng today's trial.
Khamayda was sentenced to 15 days of arrest, while Salauyan received 12 days of arrest. Friends managed to pass personal belongings, foodstuffs and fruits to the arrested oppositionists.
