Euroradio journalist Vital Ruhain is released
The case will be revised. Vital is accused of swearing in a public place.
16.30 Vital has been released in the court room. But the case has not been closed - it will be revised and policemen have 5 days to find the proof of Ruhain's guilt. If they find it, a new hearing will take place. Otherwise, the case will be closed.
16.00 It has turned out that one more break has started. The hearing is not over and it is about to be resumed.
15.45 Judge Tkachova has left the room and headed somewhere together with the deputy head of the Central Department of the Interior. His subordinates detained Ruhain and testified against him.
15.40 The hearing is over. The judge has left for another room to make a court's decision. Ruhain is waiting for his sentence in the corridor. Four policemen are guarding him, but his colleagues have managed to pass a few buns to the journalist so that he could eat a bit.
15.15 The judge has already interrogated three policemen witnesses. Vital Ruhain's friend who could prove his innocence has not been given a reference proving his presence in court. He is at work now - his boss has not allowed him to attend the hearing.
14.30 Policemen are controlling Ruhain's hearing in court. The door of the judge's office is not closed but all attempts to enter are being prevented by policemen - they are holding the door and do not allow anyone to open it. Euroradio journalists have noticed 7 policemen taking part in the hearing this way.
14.00 The hearing has been resumed. Vital is standing trial in the judge's office. Journalists are not allowed, only the lawyer has managed to enter.
13.00. Vital Ruhain's trial will start in Central District Court at 2 p.m. A break has been announced in court.
12.40. The trial has not started yet. It has become known that Tatstsyana Tkachova will judge Vital. She sentenced human rights defender Aleh Volchak to 9 days of detention for "swearing" in May. Tatstsyana Tkachova is not on the EU "black list".
12.17. The police car has been parked near the entrance to the building. Vital has been led to court.
Pavel Svyardlou's live report for Euroradio:
12.00. Euroradio journalist Vital Ruhain has been delivered to Central District Court (Kirau Street, 21). He is in the police car at the moment - they are not taking him to court now. Journalists and Vital's sister are near the court building at the moment.
Vital had to be taken to Lenin District Court at first. However, it has turned out that he will stand trial in Minsk Central District Court.
Ruhain was detained near the fire-station in Haradski Val Street. He was detained by a group of policemen in plain clothes.
Vital's mother was informed that he was in Akrestsina detention center late in the evening. According to Lenin District Department of the Interior, a report about "an administrative violation" has been drawn up against the journalist and he was delivered to Akrestina. His friend Syarhei Kurakou probably was taken together with Vital. The trial will take place on Thursday, July 26.
Lenin District Department of the Interior did not admit that Vital Ruhain was there at first. However, a witness who saw Vital there after 7 p.m. has confirmed it to Euroradio (by phone). Ruhain also managed to phone one of our employees. One could hear him saying: "You said you would deliver me to Central District Department of the Interior , why are you heading for Lenin District Department of the Interior?". Then the connection was lost and he stopped answering his phone.
Euroradio journalist Pavel Sviardlou visited Lenin District Department of the Interior at about 8.30 p.m. but they said that Vital Ruhain was not there. Sviardlou learnt the same in Central District Department of the Interior an hour later. Vital Ruhain's relatives asked about him Lenin District Department but were told that he was not there at first. Then policeman added that there were "a few people but they had not been registered yet".
Journalist Vital Ruhain tried to return to Belarus on the morning of July 24. The police tried to detain him near the office of Euroradio earlier. He was heading for Minsk from Vilnius by train but was made to get off in Gudagai. His passport and notebook were confiscated during a customs check-up. The Euroradio journalist arrived in Minsk on Tuesday.
Let us remind you that strangers were waiting for Vital Ruhain near the office of Euroradio after the detention of Euroradio journalist Pavel Svyardlou on June 22 (they showed his photo to the janitor). However, Ruhain managed to escape the arrest with the help of journalists from other mass media. He left for Poland.
Let us remind you that Euroradio made a report about Minsk metro - the journalists entered the underground with a huge suitcase and nobody paid attention to them. Pavel Svyadlou (15 days) and Vital Ruhain's detention could be organized to take revenge for it.
Photo: Euroradio.
