Opposition activists picket court where Palchys is standing trial
Activists are picketing Minsk City Court where blogger Eduard Palchys, founder and author of the website 1863x.com, is standing trial today. The closed hearing started at 10 a.m.
About a dozen oppositionists have approached the building with white-red-white flags and posters ‘Release Palchys!’. They are shouting: “Eduard, we support you! Stand firm!”, Radio Liberty reports.
Palchys, also known as John Silver, published articles criticizing Russia’s policy as regards Belarus and Ukraine. He was detained in Russia and extradited to Belarus at the beginning of 2016.
The blogger is accused of arousing racial, national, religious, language and other hostility (p.1 of article 133 of the Criminal Code) and distribution of pornography (article 343 of the Criminal Code). He is facing up to 5 years of imprisonment for the first violation and up to 4 years – for the second one.
Rights defenders announced Eduard Palchys a political prisoner.
