Zmitser Bandarenka’s sentence – two years in colony

two years of imprisonment in a minimum security colony.

19.39 Public prosecutor asks to sentence Zmitser Bandarenka to 3 years of imprisonment in a minimum security correctional institution (maximal term under this article), "Nasha Niva" informs.

17.47 Studying case documentation is over. A 30-40 minutes break has been announced before the debates start. The head of Minsk traffic police Mr. Karziuk has not arrived, his testimony has been read out.

After this the court started studying audio, video and photo materials of the case. these are mostly printouts of bandarenka's telephone conversations with Sannikau, Radzina, Ivashkevich and others. Video materials contain shots of Bandarenka standing on the steps of the Trade Union Palace, "Nasha Niva" informs.

16.55 Public prosecutor is reading out printouts of Zmitser Bandarenka's telephone calls. Zmitser responded that the authorities illegally tapped the telephones of members of the candidates' electoral HQs, "Narodnaya Volya" informs.

15.40 The court started studying written documentation of the case.

15.22 Mobile communication is still off in the court hall. 

 

Break has been announced till 15.10. The judge is expecting the head of Minsk traffic police Mr. Karziuk to arrive. They are deciding on whether the trial will be continued. 

14.10 Interrogation of witnesses has been completed. 13 witnesses have been interrogated, including 5 traffic policemen, 5 bus drivers, and people who were announcing that the action had not been sanctioned in the cars. Only a traffic policeman Daniankou said that he had seen a man who looked like Bandarenka from behind Sannikau's back. All the rest said they hadn't seen Bandarenka.

Zmitser Bandarenka apologized for inconveniences to those who used public traffic that evening. "Minsktrans" issues a bill for 159 470 roubles of material damage. The bill has been paid, but the receipt has not arrived yet.

Bandarenka speaks about Andrej Sannikau with respect, calls him "my candidate". He also says he liked working with Sannikau a lot and that his task in the Square was to accompany him.

Zmitser Bandarenka has claimed that the main task now is to conduct direct negotiations between the authorities and the opposition. He also said that his harassment is politically motivated and that there was no common plan on December 19. 

Everyone hoped for the second tour.

11.45 Interrogation of witnesses started.

11.40 "I have serious health problems: ulcer, spine problems", — Bandarenka has said. According to him, his right leg is "partly paralyzed". My health deteriorated during my stay in custody in the KGB prison. However, the attitude to me was good, doctors examined me and gave medicines", —Zmitser Bandarenka informed. "Health got worse not because of the bad attitude, but you know - prison is prison. I need medical care", Radio Liberty informs.

11.20 Bandarenka "is impressed with McDonalds' greediness". He thinks that a non-received income is not a damage, Interfax informs.

"There were other institutions along the route of the column's movement, they worked normally, no one interfered with them. However, some decided that someone interfered with them. This is on their conscience - they are ommersants anyway, the more money the better", — Bandarenka says.

Representative of the accusation is trying to prove that Bandarenka interfered with the work of McDonalds, "BelEuroNetwork", a currency exchange office, "Kastrychnitskaya" metro station and trade unions' palace of culture.

Bandarenka is indignant that his phone has been tapped since September 2010.

10.58 Bandarenka said he had come to the square on December 19 upon ideological reasons and to support his candidate, Interfax informs.

"I wasn't playing the main part. I was standing next to a candidate, but it's quite a different story", - Bandarenka informed.

10.49 Representative of the accusation considers Bandarenka guilty of severe violation of public order and disobedience to the authorities,  Interfax informs.

"Being in fact a head of Sannikau's electoral campaign, he committed a crime which revealed in organization and participation on group actions, which severely violated public order, combined with disobedience to legal demands of the authorities and interference with functioning of public traffic and organizations", - representative of the accusation has claimed.

10.39 Bandarenka admitted guilt partly. He considers himself guilty in participation in a "mass action which interfrered with proper functioning of public traffic". He denies guilt on all other accusation points, Interfax informs.

10.20 Zmitser's mother has been the first to enter the court hall. Zmitser's father greeted his son with "Christ is Risen!", and he answered "Indeed he is Risen!". Zmitser's children passed him a painted Easter egg, Nasha Niva informs.

10.10 EU countries' diplomats, as well as the parents of the journalist Iryna Khalip - Uladzimir Khalip and Luciana Bialzatskaya - are present at the trial. Politicians Liavon Barshcheuski and Victar Ivashkevich didn't manage to get in.

10.05 The trial is taking place in a small hall, which admits about 20-25 people. Members of the pro-authoritative youth organization "Belarusian Republican Youth Union" occupy the first several rows.

10.00 According to the journalists, mobile communication is not working in the court hall.

9.30 People are admitted into the court hall. Policemen are checking bags of those who are willing to present at the trial, Radio Liberty informs.

The authorities accuse Zmitser Bandarenka of "organization and preparation of actions which severely violate public order or active participation thereof".

Let us remind you, the politician - authorised representative of the ex-presidential candidate Andrej Sannikau - was arrested at night on December 19-20 after a multi-thousand peaceful action of protest against falsification of the presidential election results. He has been in custody in the KGB prison since then. He faces up to 3 years of imprisonment.