Leader of small businessmen asks to release political prisoner on bail

• 28.02.2008, 12:33

The chairman of the steering committee of individual entrepreneurs of Minsk Alyaksandr Makaeu has filed an application to the office of the Prosecutor General of Belarus to set free Andrei Kim on bail. Andrei Kim is a 22-year-old democratic activist arrested on January 21 during the protest rally of individual entrepreneurs.

“I have given guarantee that in case A. Kim would jump bail, I would be liable materially (50 basic units, or 1 million 750 thousand Br). This application was received by the prosecutor Mikhail Maltsau. He said that the document would be forwarded to Minsk city prosecutor’s office,” Ales Makaeu said to BelaPAN.

As we have informed, Andrei Kim was detained for taking part in an unsanctioned rally of entrepreneurs on January 21 in Minsk. On January 31 he was to be released after a 10-day administrative arrest, but he wasn’t released. According to reports, a criminal action has been brought up against him on charges relating Article 364 of the Criminal Code (violence or a threat of violence against a policeman). The young man faces up to 6 years of prison.