Belarusians involved in controversial performance at Auschwitz Museum face jail term
A trial of 12 defendants in the case of the desecration of the site of memory in the former Nazi concentration camp Auschwitz started on Monday in Poland’s Oświęcim.
The sentence will be read on January 17, Radio Kraków reports.
In March 2017, 12 persons held a so-called performance near the entrance to the Auschwitz Memorial. They undressed, tried to handcuff themselves and placed the poster ‘LOVE’ on the famous inscription Arbeit Macht Frei, but the most shocking thing was the brutal killing a lamb by two of them. Soon after the ‘performance’ which was set to be an anti-war manifesto, the young people were detained by the police.
There are Poles, Belarusians and Germans among the defendants. The main initiators Adam B., Mikita V., Illya R. and Dymitr H. do not plead quilty. According to Adam B., they just wanted to draw people’s attention to the war that is waging not far from Poland.
In his final speech, Deputy Prosecutor Mariusz Słomka demanded Adam B. be imprisoned for 2.5 years, Mikita V. – for 2 years and 2 months. All the other defendants may be sentenced to restriction of freedom and public works. Illya R., a resident of Germany, may be PLN 12,500 fined.
The sentence will be read on January 17, Radio Kraków reports.
In March 2017, 12 persons held a so-called performance near the entrance to the Auschwitz Memorial. They undressed, tried to handcuff themselves and placed the poster ‘LOVE’ on the famous inscription Arbeit Macht Frei, but the most shocking thing was the brutal killing a lamb by two of them. Soon after the ‘performance’ which was set to be an anti-war manifesto, the young people were detained by the police.
There are Poles, Belarusians and Germans among the defendants. The main initiators Adam B., Mikita V., Illya R. and Dymitr H. do not plead quilty. According to Adam B., they just wanted to draw people’s attention to the war that is waging not far from Poland.
In his final speech, Deputy Prosecutor Mariusz Słomka demanded Adam B. be imprisoned for 2.5 years, Mikita V. – for 2 years and 2 months. All the other defendants may be sentenced to restriction of freedom and public works. Illya R., a resident of Germany, may be PLN 12,500 fined.