Public Prosecutor’s Office delivers statement on events in Minsk March 19-25

The Public Prosecutor’s Office delivered a statement on March 29 in connection with unauthorized rallies in Minsk on March 19-25. Prosecutor General Piotr Miklashevich told reporters that unauthorized rallies on March 19-24 in the Oktyabrskaya Square were organized by candidates for the presidency Alexander Kozulin and Alexander Milinkevich in breach of the law “On mass arrangements in the Republic of Belarus”. “On March 25 they once again organized an unauthorized rally in the center of Minsk. Directly instigated by Mr. Kozulin and Mr. Milinkevich, participants of the unauthorized rally broke the public order by hampering transport communications, breaking down the normal operation of other municipal services and assault and battery of reporters of the Belarusian TV and radio company. Mr. Kozulin urged the participants of the rally to march to a militia station in the Okrestina Str. to release the law-breakers detained on charges of partaking in unsanctioned rallies, headed the column which approximated 1 thousand people”, the Prosecutor General said. According to him, when the law enforcement agencies stopped the column and asked them to stop the unlawful actions, “a group of belligerent young people attempted to break the cordon hurling stones and bottles at them”. At that time an unidentified explosive device was set off and a number of smoke cartridges. Over 10 militia officers and participants of the disorders were hurt. The Prosecutor General believes that measures to detain the law-breakers taken by the law enforcement agencies were lawful. “Stopping the unauthorized rallies, the militia officers acted in line with their authority”, Piotr Miklashevich said. He informed that legal cases were opened under Art.342 and 339 of the Criminal Code of Belarus in connection with the flagrant law and order violations. There is a preliminary investigation underway. “All organizers of the unauthorized rallies, their ardent participants and violators of the law and order will be exposed to administrative or criminal punishments in accordance with the law depending on the degree of the guilt of each of them”, Piotr Miklashevich said. Over 500 people have already been detained for partaking in unauthorized rallies including 21 foreign citizens. Of them 288 were exposed to a 10-day administrative arrest and 112 – 15-day arrest while 53 under-age people were released. According to the Prosecutor General candidate for the presidency Alexander Kozulin was detained on March 25 in Minsk. Now he is in jail in the town of Zhodino. On March 28 the associates of the Prosecutor General’s Office checked the conditions of his custody. According to Piotr Miklashevich, in the framework of the criminal case opened against Alxander Kozulin he will face charges under Art.342 Part 1 (organization of group actions with serious breaking of public order) and Art.339 Part 2 (hooliganism) of the Criminal Code of Belarus. A criminal case was opened under charges of assault and battery of journalists of the Belarusian TV and radio company. Referring to another candidate for the presidency, Alexander Milinkevich, the Prosecutor General stated that as long ago as on March 1 he was officially warned by the Public Prosecutor’s Office against unauthorized rallies. But on March 2 Alexander Milinkevich urged his followers to go in the streets in the center of Minsk. Further on, as an organizer, he was heavily involved in unauthorized rallies. According to Piotr Miklashevich, the Office treats this as signs of the administrative offense under Art.167 of the Administrative Code of Belarus. Materials are presently studies in regard to Mr. Milinkevich’s involvement in the events on March 25.