Verdict in human rights activist Leani Svetsik's case to be announced on July 16

The verdict in the case of Leanid Svetsik,a human right defender from Vitsebsk, will be voiced on July 16, Judge Halina Urbanovich of the Vitsebsk Regional Court said today. The defendant did not plead guilty at a trial today. "In my opinion, my guilt has not been established in this case", Leanid Svetsik told the European Radio for Belarus.

The human rights defender is charged with inciting the ethnic and religious hostility. The criminal case consists of 11 volumes. Prosecutor Siarhei Selikhanou has asked two years in prison for the human rights activist.