Rights defender gets fined for Non-Freeloaders’ March six months later

Rights defender Aleh Vouchak has been punished for the Non-Freeloaders’ March held in Minsk on February 17. Vouchak had a hypertensic crisis in court and an ambulance took him to hospital. Nevertheless, judge Yauhan Pisarevich did not suspend the hearing. He replaced 13 days of arrest with a fine – 25 base amounts (575 roubles).

"I feel fine now,” Aleh Vouchak said after the trial. “I have no time to reply to everyone but I can shake hand with everyone. Belarusians were brave in court. They did not fear the possibility of being accused of an administrative violation and made remarks to the judge. We are a strong nation! We Live! Belarus will definitely be happy!”

Vouchak was sentenced to 13 days of imprisonment soon after the Non-Freeloaders’ March. However, the rights defender was abroad at that time and appealed the court’s decision.

The case was reconsidered but the sentence did not change. Vouchak appealed the decision again. The arrest was changed to a fine at the third hearing.

Numerous rights defenders including UN Special Rapporteur on human rights in Belarus Miklós Haraszti attended the hearing. Miklós Haraszti arrived in Minsk to take part on informal events of the OSCE PA.