Young Front activists sentenced up to 20 days in jail

Homel's Cyhunacny District Court on Tuesday found Young Front co-chairman Andrei Tsianiuta guilty of "petty hooliganizm" and "disobedience to a police officer".  He was sentenced to three days in jail under the first article and 7 days in jail under the second article, making it a total of 10 days behind bars.

Belapan reports three police officers testified in court as witnesses. They ciamed that when they were patrolling the streets, they heard the Young Front activist swear loudly in a public place. Andrei Tsaniuta said he was not swearing when on his way back home. He stressed that he always speaks Belarusian, which has no curse words.

The activist said his detention as well as detentions of other activists was not accidental as the authorities act to prevent opposition activists from staging protest actions during the World Ice Hockey Championshipn on May 9-26 in Minsk.

In Minsk, Frunzenski District Court today sentenced another Young Front mamber Mikola Dzemidzenka to 20 days of arrest. Radio Svaboda reports that police officers Kruk and Zianko testified in court that Dzemidzenka was spotted urinatintg in a public place and paid no attention to the remarks from the policemen. Another Young Front activist Mikhas Muski also got 20 days of administrative arrest. Zmicier Kramianetski will stand trial in Minsk's Leninski District Court.

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