Valery Shchukin fined 1.5 million rubles

A well-known human rights activist Valery Shchukin has been sentenced to a fine of 40 basic units (1,240,000 rubles) by a court of Pershamajski district of Vitsebsk. Besides, Valery Shchukin is to pay 250,000 rubles of moral damages for a member of the regional election commission Tatsyana Buevich allegedly insulted by him.

A 65-year-old human rights activist is charged with violation of article 189 of Criminal Code for insult of members and workers of the election commissions during the campaign for election of deputies of local Councils of the 25th convocation.

Human rights activist is charged with insult of a chairman of a district commission Ala Kalesnik, a deputy chairman of the district commission Tatsyana Ukrozhanka; a member of a district commission Nadzeja Aheeva; a member of a regional commission body Tatsyana Buevich.

After elections to local Soviets which were held in Belarus on January 14, 2007, the human rights activist distributed leaflets informing that members of election commissions had been taking part in rigging election results.

Besides, the court has stated that Shchukin is to pay a fine of 170,000 rubles which he allegedly hadn’t paid in 1999 for taking part in Freedom March.