Kavalenka sentenced to 2 years and a month of imprisonment in a colony

February 24

16.09 Prosecutor demands 2 years and 8 months of imprisonment to Kavalenka.

This has been informed by Radio Liberty.

Let us remind you, activist of the Conservative Christian Party of the Belarusian Popular Front Syarhei Kavalenka is accused of numerous violations of the regime of the so-called "forcible hard labour at home". He got this sentence for hoisting a white-red-white flag on the biggest Christmas tree in Vitsebsk two years ago. Kavalenka has been in custody in Vitsebsk detention center since December.

The trial is taking place in the Pershamayski district court of Vitsebsk.

14.34 Kavalenka's relatives file 34 complaints to police and court

Trial against CCP-BPF activist is continued in the Pershamayski district court of Vitsebsk.

According to the information provided by Radio Liberty, Syarhei Kavalenka's relatives together with human rights defenders filed 24 complaints to the president of the court that they had not been admitted to the trial. 10 more complaints were filed to the administration of Vitsebsk police with regard to illegal actions of the policemen in court.

Let us remind you, relatives and journalists were not admitted to the trial again today.

12.50 Court denies to change restraint for Kavalenka

The defendant's lawyer came up with a corresponding appeal.

The lawyers say that Kavalenka's mind is wandering - he repeats one and the same things. They also say that their client drank water yesterday, but he hasn't done it today, reports Radio Liberty.

Polish diplomat Witold Jurasz left the trial. According to him, there was no point to stay at the trial as the decision on Kavalenka's case was taken above, not here. he added that the European Union would declare their official position on February 27.

11.20 Kavalenka's mother not admitted to trial

Lidziya Kavalenka came to the court an hour after the trial had started.

Syarhei Kavalenka's brother Vital was driven out of the court hall. He spoke as a witness. After the interrogation the judge ordered him to leave as he had got warnings from her before, reports Radio Liberty.

Kavalenka's adherents and journalists are blocked in the right part of the court, while the toilet is in the left part. The police convoy the people there upon demand. 

A text message arrives from the court hall: "The judge declines appeals in order to summon more witnesses".

Kavalenka's mother and brother addressed to the Red Cross representation asking for the interference of this international organization so that Syarhei would receive proper medical assistance.

10.20 Court hall is full of "prepared viewers"

The court summoned witness Vital Kavalenka, Syarhei's brother.

Journalists, relatives and civil activists failed to get to the trial once again. According to the information provided by Radio Liberty, the police blocked them all in one part of the court's corridor, and opened the doors to the hall where people were already sitting, in the other part.

Only the Polish diplomat managed to get to the trial.

9.47 Poland's Charge d'Affaires arrives to Kavalenka's trial

The hearing should start at 10 a.m.

Syarhei Kavalenka's adverents, human rights activists, civil activists and journalists started gathering near the court building already at 9.30 a.m. Poland's Charge d'Affaires in Belarus Witold Jurasz has arrived.

According to  Radio Liberty, the guards admit people to the court hall but search them thoroughly. They even force women to take their shoes off.

February 23

17:40 Judge refuses to allow doctors to examine Kavalenka

Judge Alena Zhuk claimed that she had not summoned any doctors and would not let them examine the defendant. The doctors had to leave.

The witnesses - policemen and representatives of the criminal executive inspectorate of Vitsebsk Pershamaiski District – had been interrogated before, informs Radio Liberty.

16:00 Syarhei Kavalenka demands to change state symbols in court

The CCP-BPF activist also asked the court to speak Belarusian.

The court has not satisfied any of the appeals: the symbols in court were the state symbols and there was an interpreter sitting beside Kavalenka.

The official Vitsebsk Province newspaper “Vitsebsk Worker” is presenting “a live broadcast” of the trial. By the way, the police did not allow independent journalists to enter the court room referring to a court’s decision.

12:25 Kavalenka’s trial resumed after medical check-up

All his petitions and requests for the recusation of the judge and prosecutor have been declined again today.  

Meanwhile, he asked to allow the press and his acquaintances to enter the court room instead of some strangers. The court did not satisfy the appeal either.

Syarhei Kavalenka agreed to go through a medical check-up. However, a resuscitation brigade arrived to court instead of an ambulance. Kavalenka needed help to return to the court room after the examination. He managed to shout out to his wife that he had been inoculated and had lost his conscience for a while, informs Radio Liberty.

One of the leaders of the CCP-BPF, Yuras Belenki, has asked international structures and ambassadors to help Kavalenka get access to independent foreign doctors. His health condition is critical, he has stressed.

11:03 Kavalenka’s trial becomes closed

Only the lawyers have been allowed to attend it.

Journalists, human rights activists and relatives of the CCP-BPF activist have been driven out of the building of Vitsebsk Pershamaiski District Court by policemen.

Let us remind you that Syarhei Kavalenka is accused of numerous violations of “his house penal labour regime” (he was sentenced to it for hoisting a white-red-white flag in Vitsebsk main New Year’s Tree two years ago). He has been kept in Vitsebsk detention centre since December. Kavalenka is facing up to three years of imprisonment.

February 22

14.40

According to the information provided by "Nasha Niva", Syarhej Kavalenka's wife Alena came to the court with their 7-months-old daughter in her arms. She took out a white-red-white flag and a poster saying "Freedom to Belarus! Freedom to Kavalenka!". The policemen couldn't take her out of the court hall - the people defended her. Syarhej Kavalenka's mother Lidziya started screaming "Murderers!". In the end, the judge left and the policemen urged the people to leave as well. It was announced that the trial will start in another hall of the Pershamayski district court of Vitsebsk.

According to Radio Liberty, the trial against Kavalenka has been resumed but the journalists and the activist's mother have not been admitted.

Let us remind you, Syarhej Kavalenka is accused in numerous violations of the regime of serving the so-called "forcible hard labour at home", which he was sentenced to for hoisting a white-red-white flag on the biggest Christmas tree in Vitsebsk 2 years ago. He has been in custody in the pre-trial detention center in Vitsebsk since December. Kavalenka faces up to 3 years of imprisonment.

Syarhei Kavalenka’s trial to continue on February 22

A break has been announced until Wednesday, 2 p.m.

The judge has decided to send Kavalenka to detention centre hospital for a medical check-up.

She read out two reports of mobile medical teams. Dr. Dubakin wrote that the health condition had not changed but there were some changes in Kavalenka’s blood. Dr. Fadzeyeu recommended a thorough medical examination.

Kavalenka taken to hospital

The political prisoner shouted it out to his relatives when he was being escorted from the court room.

According to Radio Liberty, both brigades have left the court room. The doctors have not presented the results of Syarhei Kavalenka’s medical check-up.

 The hot line of the Ministry of Health has informed that Kavalenka will be taken to detention centre hospital.

Doctors not allowed to examine Kavalenka for 20 minutes

The defendant’s relatives have summoned another group of doctors to conduct his medical check-up.

The relatives have claimed that they do not believe Dzmitry Dubakin’s brigade that arrived in the morning. By the way Dr. Dubakin left without having said a word to Kavalenka’s relatives.

Radio “Liberty” informs that a new ambulance brigade has arrived. But the police did not allow the doctors enter the court room. The policemen said that the court president had to give them permission to do it. The new doctors had spent 20 minutes waiting for permission to examine Kavalenka.

By the way, Kavalenka’s request for the recusation of the judge has not been satisfied.

Syarhei Kavalenka requests recusation of judge

Syarhei Kavalenka’s trial was resumed after a break at 14.30 p.m.

The court room is full again after a break, informs Radio Liberty. Kavalenka has expressed a protest in connection with the fact that policemen keep filming the present although the court has forbidden it.

The policeman says that he did not film anything. The judge has allowed him to stay. Kavalenka has demanded her recusation because she made journalists with video cameras leave and let the policeman stay. The lawyers have supported his request.

Doctors do not want to take Kavalenka to hospital

His wife Alena invited them. Syarhei also asked doctors to examine him before the trial.

Kavalenka said that he was suffering from dystrophy and had lost 25 kilos during the hunger-strike. The present were asked to leave the court room during the medial check-up. However, the doctors have refused to take Kavalenka to hospital.

He has been on hunger-strike for 15 days and has not drunk water for three days.

Let us remind you that Syarhei Kavalenka is accused of numerous violations of the “house penal labour” regime (he was sentenced to it two years ago for hoisting a white-red-white flag in Vitsebsk’s main New Year’s Tree). He has been kept in Vitsebsk detention centre since December where he started a hunger-strike. Kavalenka is facing up to three years of imprisonment now.

Radio Liberty informs that when people entered the court room, Kavalenka started singing the anthem “We’ll walk in rows”. Syarhei Kavalenka is speaking Belarusian in court and an interpreter is translating his words into Russian.

Photo by — svaboda.org