Minsk: Two participants of Critical Mass cycling event may face up to 6 years in jail
Criminal cases have been opened against two participants of the Critical Mass cycling event that took place on April 29 in Minsk. Stanislau Kanavalau and Dzmitry Paliyenka are reportedly charged with resistance to authority (Article 339-2 of the Criminal Code) and may face the imprisonment of up to 6 years.
On Monday morning the Minsk police failed to confirm or deny initiating the criminal cases.
“We have some information, but is has to be approved,” Alyaksandr Lastouski, the spokesman for the Minsk police, said.
On April 29, about 35 cyclists gathered in central Minsk to take part in a social event that was aimed at ‘reclaiming the streets’, i.e. asserting their rights. The event was observed by a representative of the Belarusian Helsinki Committee.
The cyclists were moving along the road, but were soon cut up by a police bus. As a result, at least six people were detained, including the BHC observer, the human rights centre Viasna (Spring) reports. The detainees were reportedly thrown into the bus, forced to face the floor, and suffered blows in their stomachs and faces. The bicycles were thrown on top of the detainees, who were then brought to the district police department.
Later the most of them were released, but Stanislau Kanavalau and Dzmitry Paliyenka remained in custody. On April 30, Kanavalau’s flat was searched; his HDD was seized.
