Yuras Hubarevich acquitted for reciting verses near monument to Bahdanovič
Minsk Central District Court has acquitted head of the Movement For Freedom Yuras Hubarevich on December 28. He read verses near the monument to Maxim Bahdanovič on December 9, the poet’s 125th anniversary.
The decision to acquit Hubarevich was made by Judge Victoria Shabunya. He did not expect to be acquitted, the politician told Euroradio. Hubarevich considers the whole case absurd:
Hubarevich: "Officials also commemorated Maxim Bahdanovič on that day. Our recitation was not a protest action. We wanted to commemorate the poet, lay flowers on the monument and recite his verses… It is difficult to accuse us of an administrative violation.”
Several more members of the Movement for Freedom are about t stand trial for the recitation.
Hubarevich does not think that the acquittal testifies to some kind of liberalization. He mentioned the trial for the commemoration of Konstanty Kalinowski in Svislach. The action was similar, Hubarevich said. However, people were fined.
Hubarevich was fined for 1050 roubles (50 base amounts) for the action of commemoration of the victims of Stalin’s repressions near the KGB office in Minsk on November 7.
