Three activists detained in Mahilou over contempt
Three civic activists Aliaksandr Khamratau, Dzmitry Zdubnikau and Yury Harbatsenka were detained in Mahilou. They arrived at Mahilou District Court in order to take part in the open hearing of a criminal case and monitor the work of the judge.
When time came to begin the hearing, they asked the judge several times when the hearing was to begin. Judge Stanislau Leuchanka first said that he did not know and then called the police. The detainees spent two hours in court before ending up at a police station.
According to Zdubnikau, the activists were held in the police station for several hours. They are charged with contempt of court.
Zdubnikau and Khamratau earlier filed complaints against Judge Leuchanka and his mother who is the chief editor of Vecherny Mogiliov newspaper. The complaint was filed in connection with the story in the newspaper about a transvestite who private details were disseminated by the newspaper.
