The Monitoring of Compliance with the Right to Fair Trail During Hearings of Administrative Offenses Cases The Results of Trial Monitoring at Twelve Courts in Minsk, Brest, Vitsyebsk, Navapolatsk and Polatsk in the Period from March 22 to April 2, 2004 Before the report came out, human rights defenders observed 533 trials of persons accused of minor "administrative" offenses at 12 courts in five Belarusian cities. Under the authoritarian regime, hearings of minor cases are a litmus test of the judiciary and its compliance with national and international fair-trial standards. Official reports provide little information about respect for the right to fair trial. Hundreds of thousands of Belarusians are tried on minor charges every year. Judges across the country hold about 300,000 sessions on administrative cases, sentencing offenders to short jail sentences and fines. Noting flaws in court practices, the report offers recommendations to the authorities about how to ensure compliance with international fair trial standards. Will the authorities listen to their advice? At least it has been made public.