Party leader gets fined for refusing to pay for police services in Minsk

Leader of the Belarusian Social Democratic Party (Hramada) Ihar Barysau has been fined for 765 roubles (30 base amounts) for his refusal to pay for the police services. The decision has been pronounced by Minsk Central District Court, the opposition politician reported on Facebook.

Barysau was one of the organizers of the meeting and concert in Kev Public Garden on Freedom Day. Leader of the United Civil Party Mikalai Kazlou, leader of the movement “For Freedom” Yury Hubarevich and co-leader of the organizing committee for the creation of the Belarusian Christian Democracy Party Volha Kavalkova have also been fined for 765 roubles each. Chernobyl Way has been cancelled this year due to the demand to pay for the police services – the organizers refused from the authorized rally (however, a few dozen people still joined the action).

“The Belarusian police are becoming a commercial structure with their own price lists and coefficients. They are forgetting the fact that they exist thanks to the taxes paid by the people," Ihar Barysau wrote. “Starting an administrative case for the refusal to pay for the police services is absurd.”

The organizers of the Freedom Day rally had to pay 3825 roubles (150 base amounts) for the police services. Their cumulative fines have not reached this sum.