Zmitser Paliyenka, an activist of the Belarusian anarchist movement, has been tried in Zavadzki district court in Minsk.
A fine of 1,275 Belarusian rubles (about $630) was imposed on him for posting a picture with the words Class War in social networks, his friend Maryna Kasinerava said.
The former political prisoner was detained on January, 29 in Minsk. He was to stand trial on January, 30, but the police took him to the detention centre instead.
“It was the State Security Committee (KGB) that issued a request to check the photo for extremism. They also want to look into my correspondence,” Paliyenka stressed.
Paliyenka is also among the activists suspected of drawing Cops Kill People graffiti on the wall of one of the city buildings on Akhotskaya street on December 22, 2018. The ground for their detention was a video showing people with no visible faces. Zmitser Paliyenka refused to cooperate with the investigation and did not admit his guilt. Coming home after interrogation, he found damaged walls and overturned things in the apartment.
This is not the first time that the activists are being persecuted for the Class War inscription. Last year, on July 12, riot police detained Maryia Rabkova, an anarchist movement activist. She had a protocol drafted on her under part 2 of Article 17:11 of the Code of Administrative Offenses – “Distribution of extremist products”. The Minsk District Court fined the girl (220.5 BYN).
In November, the same article was used to fine Vyachaslau Kasinerau and his wife Maryna. They were fined for the photos in a hat with the words Class War posted on Facebook.
In October 2016, Paliyenka was given a suspended sentence of 2 years for allegedly attacking a policeman during the bicycle campaign Critical Mass, which took place in Minsk. In addition, the activist was charged with committing a crime under Part 2 of Article 343 of the Criminal Code (production and distribution of pornographic materials or items of a pornographic nature).
Later, Paliyenka was arrested again: on April 7, 2017, the court overturned the deferment and sent the activist to serve the remainder of his term in a prison in Babruysk. There he was regularly placed in a punishment cell, the administration also pressured the activist psychologically.
The international human rights organization Amnesty International recognized Paliyenka a prisoner of conscience.
