The preliminary investigation of the criminal case on ‘mass riot on 10 January 2008 in Minsk’ is over. That day several thousand representatives of small businesses came to Kastrychnitskaya Square to protest against the president’s decree #760 by which they were prohibited to employ more than three close relatives since 1 January. This decree made redundant thousands of people who worked in small businesses. (04-MAR-08)

Sources: www.nn.by and www.spring96.org

Criminal charges were given to 14 persons: A.Baradzenka, A.Bondar, A.Charnyshou, A.Dubski, A.Kim, A.Koipish, M.Kryvau, M.Pashkevich, V.Siarheyeu, A.Straltsou, M.Subach, T.Tsishkevich P.Vinahradau and M.Dashuk (under age).

Now each of the accused will familiarize with the case materials. Then the case will passed to Minsk city court. 13 youngsters were made to give written undertakings not to leave the city. The 14th accused – Andrei Kim – has been detained earlier and is in pre-trial prison. All of them face up to 3 years of jail in the case the court finds them guilty. In the court rulings which were given to each of the accused it is stated that on 10 January 2008 they had taken part in group actions, did not obey to the lawful demands of the police and hindered the work of traffic, enterprises, institutions and organizations.

Belarusian MIA minister Navumau keeps his promise
On 4 March Vitsebsk entrepreneur Siarhei Parsiukevich came to Maskouski district police department for an interrogation. After 2,5 hours of interrogation the investigator Dzmitry Razanka ruled to arrest the entrepreneur for three days. On 31 January the criminal case under article 364 of the Criminal Code (‘violence or threat of violence against policeman’) was brought against Siarhei Parsiukevich. Now he faces up to 6 years of jail. The entrepreneur is accused of having allegedly beaten the duty policeman Aliaksandr Dlup while serving the 15-day arrest term in the remand prison in Akrestsin Street in Minsk. Earlier the MIA minister Uladzimir Navumau told journalists that up to 50 persons could be punished for participation in the unauthorized mass action of 10 January.

The preliminary investigation of the criminal case on ‘mass riot on 10 January 2008 in Minsk’ is over. That day several thousand representatives of small business came to Kastrychnitskaya Square to protest against the president’s decree #760 by which they were prohibited to employ only three close relatives since 1 January. This decree made redundant thousands of people who worked in small business.