The court of Maskouski district of Minsk delivered incredibly severe sentences to the youth leaders.

The verdicts were given by judge Alena Shylko. Prosecutor Mazorka asked 3 years in a minimum security penal colony for Young Front leader Dashkevich and 5 years in a medium security penal colony for activist Lobau.

Hearing in the case against Young Front leader Zmitser Dashkevich and Eduard Lobau started on March 22 and took two days. Dashkevich and Lobau were charged with violation of part 3 of article 339 of the Criminal Code (hoologanism), providing for restriction of liberty for from three to five years, or imprisonment for from three to ten years.

The Young Front members were detained in Minsk on December 18, 2010. As the Main Police Directorate of the Minsk city executive committee reports, they were beating two passers-by in the backyards of Yanka Bryl Street.

However, it was clearly demonstrated in the court that it was a provocation against the youth leaders with a purpose to arrest them a day before the presidential elections and a protest rally against electoral fraud.

The “victims” are unemployed Kanstantsin Savitski and Aleh Malashau, who were scared to appear in public during the trial. They were sitting in a separate room and giving evidence through the half opened door.

As Zmitser Dashkevich said at the trial, the attack on Lobau and him was pre-planned. They heard how Savitski and Malyshau said on the phone when after they had noticed the guys, “We are here. What should we do with them?” Then the provocateurs came up to them, asked for a light and began to beat them. Five minutes later a car with riot police appeared. The car was apparently waiting for a fight round the corner.

Lawyers said that no evidence of guilt of Dashkevich and Lobau was presented to the court. On the contrary, the defensive measures in relation to Malyshau and Savitski and the fact that police released them from custody and announced them “victims” before a trial prove that it was a planned provocation. Moreover, basic examinations were not conducted on the stage of investigation.

Zmitser Dashkevich said in his last word: “I will not prove that I am not a hooligan. I will not turn attention to the contradictions in evidence of the victims. But I draw your attention to the fact that proves we could not have committed this crime a priori. Eduard and I have been involved in political activity for a long time. We wanted to be out of jail on December 19. We couldn’t have attacked people a day before the “Reichstag fire”.

I’d like to say to those who want to stop our political activity by this kangaroo court: do not hope for that. Now you think you are powerful and cannot be controlled by anybody. Bakiyev’s henchmen used to think so, too. Your time will come.

The time will come when Savitski and Malyshau will say who gave them an order to organize this provocation. Riot policemen and prosecutors will be near them.

You are miserable people, who must live in fear waiting for your unlimited power to come to an end. The day of real justice is coming.”

Charter`97

Photo: Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty