Syarhei Kavalenka's wife detained in Vitebsk

• 18.05.2012, 9:11

It happened at 5:40 a.m. near the Vitebsk region court.

Alena Kavalena, activist of European Belarus civil campaign Alena Semenchukova and Syarhei's cousin drew “Freedom to Syarhei Kavalenka” on the asphalt.

In this way they wanted to show their solidarity with the inmate, who went on his second hunger strike.

At 9:30 a.m. on May 18, the Vitebsk region court hears an appeal against the decision of the Pershamaiski district court that sentenced the activist to 2-year imprisonment.

“We were detained by police, who were guarding the building from the early morning. They seized Alena Kavalenka's camera and took us to the Kastrychnitski district police department,” activist Alena Semnchukova told Radio Svaboda. She stopped answering telephone 15 minutes later.

Human rights activist Pavel Levinau thinks policemen near the court building are used as a crowd of extras to fill the courtroom and tell the rest people there are no places for them. This practice is widely used in Vitebsk and could be seen during the first trial over Syarhei Kavalenka in the Pershamaiski district court.