Human right activist sentenced to 2,5 years of “restraint of liberty” commited suicide

Human right activist Yana Paliakova, who has been recently sentenced by Salihorsk court, committed suicide today night.

The information was announced on Assembley of NGO congress that is taking place in Minsk.

On March 7 judge Burautsou of Salihorsk court found her guilty of violating article 400, part 2 of Criminal Code — “deliberate false accusation”

Representatives of Belarusian Helsinki committee Leanid Marhotka and Valery Shchukin were presented at court. The court centenced Yana Paliakova to 2,5 years of restraint of liberty (so called “chemistry”) and demanded to compensate “moral damage” of police officer Pugatcheu, who had retired recently.

In November of 2008 there were many reports about persecution of Salihorsk Human right activist by law-enforcers. Yana Paliakova informed that she had been detained by policemen for her oppositional activities several times. It was also reported that the woman was beaten in police department and her hand was about to be broken. It is also important to mention that Yana Paliakova was a member of Olha Kazulina’s initiative group during the last “parliament elections”.

“The sentence was a shock for Yana, – human right activist Valary Shchukin commented. I spent a day with her after the trial, and she was saying one thing: “I am not going to be a prisoner”. It was really a shock for a normal person. I remember the first time when I was imprisoned. That time my wife was ashamed to go out, it seemed to be shame for her. Probably it was the same with Yana. She felt helpless, she was unable to resist this persecution and defamation. I attended many trials, but this trial was a real lawlessness.”