Belarus Activists Face Trial For T-Shirts

Belarus runners wearing Statkevich T-shirts

MINSK -- Four activists in Belarus are facing trial for wearing T-shirts emblazoned with a portrait of a jailed opposition politician.

The activists were arrested on September 28 after participating in a marathon in Minsk while wearing T-shirts bearing the likeness of Mikalay Statkevich, a former presidential candidate who is currently in jail.

One of the arrested men, Kiryl Zhyvalovich, was later released. The other three remain in custody.

All four were charged with holding an unsanctioned protest and were to be tried on September 30.

Statkevich is serving a six-year prison term for "organizing mass disturbances" following authoritarian President Alyaksandr Lukashenka's reelection in December 2010.

With reporting by Belapan