English » Belarusian news » 24 December 2009 at 16²⁰

3 activists of “GayBelarus” were sentenced to pay penalty for participating in a humanistic action near the embassy of Iran in Minsk

On Wednesday, December 23, in a court of Soviet region of Minsk a took place a judicial process over Sergey Androsenko and Sergey Praded for taking part in an action for defense of Iranian gays sentenced to death. Sergey Praded got a penalty at the rate of Br 350 000 (85 euro) for taking part in not authorized picket action (according to art. 23.34 part 1 of Belarusian code of administrative offences). Sergey Androsenko was considered guilty in organizing of this action (according to art. 23.34 part 2 of Belarusian code of administrative offences) and got a penalty at the rate of Br 875 000 (211 euro).

During the process a witness (an employee of the embassy) claimed that on December 16^th during the action guys handed their petition not just employees of the embassy, but the ambassador of Iran in Belarus himself. “Me and my friends are embarrassed that for a peaceful action, which consisted of 3 guys only, I got a penalty at the rate of month’s salary. All the cases shouldn’t end up like that. I will probably appeal for review, I will refer to the UN Committee of Human RightsIn general it will show not only roughness of Belarusian legislation, but also attract attention to the problem of death penalty for homosexuality in Iran”, - says the chairman of LGBT Human Rights project “GayBelarus” Sergey Androsenko.

The third participant of the action got penalty at the rate of Br 105 000 (25 euro) on December 17^th (the next day after the picket action).

The main aim was to attract attention of the society to the issue of gay people in Iran. Androsenko presumes that the aim was achieved. Nevertheless the action should be continued.

–  I am going to appeal for review, though I fully admit, that on the national level (referring to the national legislation) I can’t win this case. But according to the Constitution I have a right to appeal for International structures, so I’m going to lead this case to UN Human Rights Committee. It will reveal roughness of Belarusian legislation to issues of organizing of such actions and restrictions to express one’s own thought (even if the thought is humanistic, but not a political point of view).

Representatives of Belarusian Helsinki Committee and Hyman Rights centre “Viasna” (among them the chairman of “Viasna” Alies Bialiatski) came to the court to support the participants of the action.

– We were against death penalty not even for murder, but for physiological specification, - says Androsenko. – It’s just the same as killing ginger-haired, blue-eyed or left-handed people. All of my friends are shocked that I was sentenced to pay penalty equal to month’s salary for the peaceful action, which consisted of 3 people only. What can be more touching than receiving such a Christmas present from the government?

– We attracted attention to the issue of killing innocent citizens of Iran having used maximum of possible means. We didn’t solve the problem, but we managed to attract attention of people all over the world to it. Belarusian authorities are trying to build good relationships with Iranian regime, which commits such crimes. People should know about it. The world can’t hear the voice of Iranian gays, who are being executed, but we, activists of LGBT movement, have to become this voice”, - said the chairman of LGBT Human Rights project “GayBelarus” Sergey Androsenko.

Author: GayBelarus

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