BELARUS NEWS AND ANALYSIS

DATE:

09/04/2008

Belarusian Court Fines Youth Activist As Police Detain Two Supporters

Judge Alena Marozava of the City Court in Polatsk, northern Belarus, on April 8 found 20-year-old youth activist Katsyaryna Salauyova guilty of acting on behalf of an unregistered organization, the Youth Front, and fined her 1.75 million rubles ($820), RFE/RL's Belarus Service reported. Salauyova told the court that she joined the Youth Front because she wants to revive national culture and the Belarusian language, which she said may become a dead language under the present government. Asked whether she felt afraid of being charged with an offense that carries a penalty of up to two years in prison, Salauyova told RFE/RL's Belarus Service that "if you love Belarus, there should be no fear [of prosecution]. If you are sure you're on the right path, there cannot be any fear or anxiety." Police forcefully dispersed several dozen protesters who gathered outside the court building to support Salauyova, and eventually detained two of them, Alyaksey Yanusheuski and Lyudmila Atakulova. They are due to stand trial on April 9 on charges of participating in an unsanctioned demonstration. JM

Source:

http://www.rferl.org/newsline/2008/04/3-cee/cee-090408.asp

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