The defendants are members of the opposition "Youth Front" organization, which has been denied official registration by the administration of President Alyaksandr Lukashenka.
About 100 protesters gathered outside the courthouse in their support.
Membership in an unregistered organization is punishable by up to two years in prison in Belarus.
(Reuters, Belapan)
Politics In Belarus
Demonstrators in Minsk on March 25 (RFE/RL)
WHAT HAPPENED? Belarus scholar Vitali Silitski and RFE/RL Belarus analyst Jan Maksymiuk took a look a how Belarus has changed since mass demonstrations in Minsk in March 2006 failed to produce meaningful change in that country.
LISTEN
Listen to the entire briefing (about 70 minutes):Real Audio Windows Media
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