Sentences to Sevyarynets, Halip and Martsaleu pronounced

The hearing of the case of co-chairperson of the steering committee for the creation of “Belarusian Christian Democracy” Pavel Sevyarynets, journalist of “Novaya Gazeta” Iryna Halip and social-democrat Syarhei Martsaleu began in Minsk Zavadski District Court at 10 a.m. They are accused of “organization and preparation for actions rudely violating the order or active participation in them”.

Pavel Sevyarynets

Іryna Halіp

Syarhei Martsaleu

May 16 

10.20 The Zavodzki district court of Minsk pronounced sentences to Iryna Halip and Siarhej Martsaleu - 2 years of imprisonment with arrest of judgement for 2 years. Paval Sevyarynets was sentenced to 3 years of restriction of freedom.

The judge Zhanna Brysina took this decision on May 16. All the prisoners are being released right from the court hall. 

May 13

17.22 — 17.45 The prosecutor is reading Pavel Sevyarynets’ indictment: Sevyarynets did not obey the police which resulted in damage done to state organizations, a foreign exchange office, the metro, the Palace of Trade Unions and public transport. His actions should be punished according to to article 342 of the Criminal Code – organization and participation in mass disorders.

Iryna Halip’s indictment: she urged people to come to October Square to take part in an unauthorized action and created obstacles for the work of the police. Citizens entered the traffic way after her appeals.

Martsaleu’s indictment is similar.
The prosecutor has stressed that their guilt has been proved by the case papers, evidence given by policemen and video and audio materials, reports Radio Liberty.

16.42 The judge has announce the beginning of the debates, informs Radio Liberty.


Halip’s lawyer said that 30 minutes would not be enough to get ready. However, the judge announced a break for only 30 minutes.


16.38 The lawyers are asking to be allowed to prepare the documents needed for Halip’s defense until the next morning. The judge has declined the motion.


16.30 Halip’s lawyer has asked to invite employees of the metro, McDonalds and other state and commercial organizations said to have suffered losses. The prosecutor has asked to decline the motion not to delay the hearing. The judge has supported the prosecutor.


16.24 The lawyer is reading Pavel Sevyarynets reference presented by the BAJ.

Its authors say that Sevyarynets could not appeal for violence and his arrest is unjustified.

16.15  The judge is reading out Iryna Halip’s reference sent by the editor-in-chief of Russian “Novaya Gazeta” – the newspaper  she works for. According to Radio Liberty, Halip is described as a professional journalist, reliable and decent person and careful mother.


There is an award in English – the judge has claimed that she cannot speak English. Halip’s lawyer has noted that it was German mass media’s award.

15.52 Videos depicting Martsaleu are being watched. Martsaleu has not been shown yet, notes “Liberty”.


 The videos are over. Martsaleu has not been shown.


15.40 Martsaleu’s speech in the radio is being presented. He does not refute that he urged to come to the Square, but he did not organize it as he did not mention the time and place. The prosecutor is reading Martsaleu’s conversation with Statkevich. Martaleu seems to say: “Come on, take Sidorski’s position!”.

15.12 Syarhei Martsaleu’s case papers are being read out, reports Radio Liberty.

 
The prosecutor is reading Syarhei Martsaleu’s statement in which he pled not guilty to participation in the mass disorders but admits that he urged to come to the Square and walked in the traffic way.


The prosecutor is reading responses received from the neurological and addiction centers and from the data bank of criminals – all of them are favourable.


The reverences from his place of residence and the detention center are also favourable.

14.20 The prosecutor is reading out Iryna Halip’s phone talks, reports Radio Liberty.
Halip says: I think that the election will be held as usual, the results will be rigged and I think that the society is inclined to protest, it is necessary to go to the Square.

 

 

14.08 The prosecutor is reading out a warning pronounced to Andrei Sannikau. It is in Iryna Halip’s case papers. According to it, Sannikau urged to come to an action they had not even applied for.


Information about participation in the mass disorders is being presented.


Extracts from Iryna Halip’s speech: "Let’s wake up and use the chance, the government will be defeated on December 19". The lawyer has protested and demanded to read the whole speech. The prosecutor is reading out the whole speech. 


The prosecutor is reading Halip’s speeches in Belarusian. She says that the authorities are untalented and that the leader in the most untalented.

Interrogation of witnesses continues.

12.30. Rest until 2 p.m.

10.55. Witness Tsimafei Dranchuk has been interrogated. The judge has made a remark to him for wearing a T-shirt. She thinks that such clothes demonstrate contempt of court, informs Radio Liberty.

 

10.50. Witness Alina Lyadnenka, inhabitant of Brest and Syarhei Martsaleu’s acquaintance, has been interrogated. The prosecutor has asked her if Martsaleu gave her any recommendations before the action on December 19. Alina Lyadnenka has replied that Martsaleu was worried about her as a man, a friend and a representative of the stronger sex.
The prosecutor has asked if Martsaleu mentioned the possibility of violence during the action. She has replied that he said that there could be provocations at any action.

The judge is reading the interrogation report. According to it, Martsaleu wrote to her on Skype on December 17: It will be “hot” in the Square, they should be careful.

10.25. Witnesses – bus drivers – have been interrogated today. Vadzim Kabanchuk, entrepreneur and former political prisoner, is being interrogated now.

 

Pavel Sevyarynets is still standing during the trial.

May 12 

Break till 10.00, May 13.

16.25 Public prosecutor has read very detailed KGB's reports about Sevyarynets' pre-electoral speeches, and also statements of citizens who were present at meetings with him in Mahileu region, that he urged people to go to Minsk to take part in the Square events.

Sevyarynets' pre-electoral speech as Rymasheuski's representative in Babruisk, filmed by KGB, has been demonstrated in court. In the video, Sevyarynets says that the BCD and the "Young Front" will go to the Square from the railway station, and if the Square is blocked, there are enough places for a demonstration in Minsk. Sevyarynets said in Babruisk that, according to his calculations, 15-20 thousand people would come to the square, and demonstrated legally published leaflets, Radio Liberty informs.

15.30 Video materials are being demonstrated. Shots from the Kastrychnitskaya Square and from the Independence Square go one after another and vice versa with no chronological order. Kastusyou has been shown several times, he said "It is easier and more fun to beat the Father together". They show video materials from the Independence Square although those events were not included in the accusations against Martasaleu, Halip and Sevyarynets, Radio Liberty reports.

14.20 Trial has been resumed; the court is studying the case's materials. 

Confirmations of delays in traffic movement, confirmation of 8-million "damage" caused to McDonalds and other documents, known from the previous trials of the kind, are being read out. The claim of "Minsktrans" for covering the loss of 159 thousand roubles has already been paid by Zmitser Bandarenka. Iryna Halip's lawyer turns the court's attention to the confirmation from Minsk metro that there had been no losses as a result of the events, and an identical confirmation from "Belabsolutebank". Second volume of the case with the defendants' characteristics is being read out.

12.20. Interrogation of witnesses for today is over. The court has proceeded to studying the case's materials. A break has been announced till 14.00, Radio Liberty informs.

11.25 The lawyer asks witness Daniankou: How many citizens did you punish for breaking the rules of traffic movement? Daniankou: I executed no protocols. Lawyer: Did you warn anyone for breaking the rules of traffic movement?  Witness: Otters said something, the traffic police chief Karziuk in particular. Lawyer: Did you talk to Halip? Witness: No.

11.05. Witnesses Dzianis Kislou, a city policeman who worked with audio equipment, and the traffic policeman Anatol Danenkou have been interrogated. The latter has said that the demonstrators "broke the chain and came out to the traffic way" on December 19.

Iryna Halip says to Danenkou that his face seems familiar to her. "Was it you who demanded a bribe from me for driving at a high speed?" - her question made the audience laugh but the judge withdrew it,  Radio Liberty informs.

10.45. Chief inspector of Minsk city administration of internal affairs Jury Karalkou and chief mechanic of the company "Belinvestservice" Mikhail Charnabaj gave evidence. 

10.15. Paval Sevyarynets' mother Tatsiana brought him medicines - Paval's back hurts and he is forced to stand up during the whole trial. However, they have not accepted medicines for Paval by now, Radio Liberty informs.

May 11.

14:52 Sevyarynets has been allowed to ask Halip a question and he only stated: “Iryna Uladzimirauna is a very brave woman”.


The hearing will be resumed at 10 a.m. tomorrow.


14.50 Halip says that the bill of particulars is far-fetched and full of terms used in pioneer camps. She has pled not guilty. “The only thing that I can admit is that some passengers reached their bus stops 15 or 20 minutes later than usual. However, the presidential cortege blocks traffic in the avenue the same way”.


14.40 Halip: "Being a journalist, how could I stay in October Square, how could I leave my husband? I think it would be worse if people had not entered the traffic way. It would have been another Nyamiha tragedy”. The events in Independence Square are not part of Halip’s case, says the lawyer in response to questions about broken panes. Iryna says that she could only see her colleagues’ backs near the House of the Government. Iryna has given a detailed description of the way she and her husband were beaten. “We were detained illegally; the policemen did not even introduce themselves. They booted my husband while he was lying on the ground. I was told that I had been detained only in the police car. They were beating us illegally although we did not try to resist”.
Iryna has called the accusation absurd.


14.20 Iryna Halip is giving evidence. She says that she was Sannikau’s representative because she was ready to help her husband with everything.


"I said that the election might be rigged. I did not make it up, Lukashenka admitted that the election had been rigged and that he had ordered to change the election result. I was not the first person who said it, I only repeated it”, - reports Radio Liberty quoting Halip.

14.05 The interrogation of witnesses continues after the break. Sevyarynets has refused to give evidence. “The things I may say will be used against me and against other people. It is not a criminal case, it is a disguised political case”, - says Sevyarynets.

12.55. Martsaleu’s interrogation is over. Rest until 2 p.m.

 

12.40. Syarhei Martsaleu has pled guilty to urging people to come to the Square, walking in the traffic way and blocking traffic. “My participation in the action corresponded to my views and my participation in the election campaign”, reports nn.by quoting Martsaleu.

11.50. The prosecutor is using the following phrases in his speech: “acts of crime rudely violating the order, unlawful mass disorders, illegal demands and disobedience to the legal actions of the government”.
Halip urged to come to October Square many times “using far-fetched accusations of the lack of democracy during the election”.


According to the prosecutor, Sevyarynets and Halip “gave a personal example to people” and “refused to leave the traffic way”.


Syarhei Martsaleu has pled guilty. Syvyarynets and Halip have pled not guilty.

 

11.15 The judge has declined the request to change Halip’s measure of restraint. The judge has referred to the Criminal Code of Practice and to the fact that the defendant is accused of “a moderately severe offense”, informs Radio Liberty.

 

10:51 Bahtsina says that Halip cannot even write letters to her husband Andrei Sannikau. It is necessary to change the measure of restraint at least because Halip is the only bread-winner in the family.


Martsaleu is sitting on the bench while Sevyarynets is standing for some reason, reports nn.by.


Prosecutor Zhukouski thinks that the lawyer’s requests have to be declined. Nevertheless, judge Brysina has allowed inviting additional witnesses. Halip’s awards have been added to the case. The judge has decided to leave the court room to make a decision about the change of Iryna’s measure of restraint.

 



Ala Sannіkava, Lyutsyna Halіp and Tatstsyana Sevyarynets before the trial.

 

10:40. Judge Brysina has declined Sevyarynets’ recusation. She thinks that the distrust to the administration of justice is not a good reason to refuse from the hearing.


Lawyer Mushynski has requested to interrogate witnesses for the defense. The majority of them are members of the Belarusian Christian Democracy. There are more than ten of them.


Lawyer Bahtsina is asking to take Halip’s awards in Belarus and abroad into account. She is also asking to change Halip’s measure of restraint to release on recognizance instead of a house arrest, informs “Nasha Niva”.