Alyaksandr Atroshchankau released

An activist of the civil campaign “European Belarus” Alyaksandr Atroshchankau has been released from the court of Tsentralny district of Minsk after a report was drawn up against him for an administrative violation.

Atroshchankau was detained in the building of the court where a trial over participants of the protest rally of market vendors was held today.

The activist was charged with “insult” of Judge Alena Illina, who has delivered a verdict in the case of Andrei Kim. He is sentenced to 1.5 years of colony and 2 years of corrective labour at his place of employment. Other protesters were sentenced to fines.

The activist of the civil campaign “European Belarus” Alyaksandr Atroshchankau is traditionally detained in the run-up to mass protest rallies. (“The way of Chernobyl” will take place in Minsk on April 26).

Before the European March held in Minsk on October 14, 2007 the democratic activist was arrested in his own apartment. Policemen burst into the apartment of the oppositionist in the third floor through the window (!) and searched the apartment. Officers of law-enforcing agencies stated that they allegedly received an anonymous phone call stating that a dead body was hidden in his apartment. However, when policemen entered the apartment, the first things that interested them were computers.

Office equipment including computers was seized from his apartment. Besides, informational materials for the European March, flags of the EU and a Belarusian national emblem “Pahonya” were confiscated.

On the next day after the search the activist was sentenced to 10 days of arrest. Policemen who forced an entry to the apartment illegally, “testified” that the detained allegedly “used foul language”.