Oppositionists convicted in Minsk

Belarusian opposition activist Andrei Kim was sentenced to one and a half years in prison for attacking a police officer. This decision was made yesterday by the Central District Court of Minsk. Andrei Kim was detained in January after one of the business protests. In winter, individual entrepreneurs opposed the ban on hiring workers except for close relatives. Businessmen did not want to create private unitary enterprises, which would involve paying more taxes.

Andrei Kim was accused of hitting a policeman during the protest. The opposition considers the case political. The leader of the United Civil Party, Anatoly Lebedko, emphasized that “the main evidence in court was the testimony of the police.” “After a short period of thaw, the Belarusian authorities decided to again rely on force in relations with the opposition,” he told Vremya Novostei. Other protesters were also convicted yesterday. Seven of them were sentenced to two years of imprisonment, two were fined more than $1,600 each.

Olga TOMASHEVSKAYA, Minsk