Blogger to Spend 19 Days in Jail
Blogger Maxim Filipovich was sentenced to 14 days’ arrest for participation in an unsanctioned mass event; but today a judge in another trial added 5 days more, reports the Radio Svaboda.
The blogger from Homel was sentenced to 14 days behind bars for participation in an action of protest on March 11 in Pinsk. The police attempted to detain the blogger, who had already been quite popular for his activities against decree No 3, but protesters saw him off to the railways station. So, the first trial took place in absentia – the blogger ignored the summons, and was detained afterwards on March 13.
Today, the Soviet district court of Homel sentenced him to five days more for participation in another protest action – in Brest.
The bloggers’ relatives attended the hearing. The accused dismissed the testimony in the police’s report: “It’s total lie and libel. I did not shout slogans and did not lead the column. I was recording what was happening in the streets of Brest.”
The blogger stopped his hunger strike on March 18.