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Belarusian Activist Vinahradau Detained Again, Faces Trial


A Belarusian activist who has been in and out of jail many times has been detained again.

Paval Vinahradau, a member of the opposition youth group Zmena (Change), left home to report to a parole officer at a Minsk police station on October 2 and did not return.

Vinahradau's wife quoted police officials as saying he would be tried on October 3. The charge was not clear.

On September 11, Vinahradau was sentenced to 15 days in jail for using vulgar words in public.

He has been sentenced to terms of several days in jail 17 times in recent years. In ten of those cases, the charge was swearing in public.

He and his supporters say the cases are politically motivated.

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