Mikalai Statkevich arrested for 5 days in Brest

Photo: svaboda.org
Photo: svaboda.org

The activists objecting to the construction of a car battery plant stood trial in Brest's Leninski District Court on 15 October. The protest action was organized in the central city square on Sunday. 14 people were detained but some of them were released afterwards. Opposition politician Mikalai Statkevich and other activists waited for the trial in a detention center. The court sentenced Statkevich to 5 days of arrest, Radio Liberty reports. The other participants of the protest were fined BYN980 ($450).

Local bloggers and activist Syarhei Pyatrukhin and Alyaksandr Kabanau will stand trial 16 October.

The protests against the constriction of a hazardous lead battery plant started in Brest at the beginning of 2018. Local residents argue that the plant will harm the environment and people’s health. They organize unauthorized protests every weekend.

У Брэсце Мікалая Статкевіча асудзілі на 5 сутак арышту
Photo: svaboda.org