Rada of Belarusian Intelligentsia demands immediate release of political prisoners

• 25.06.2009, 9:13

Authors of the statement adopted on June 24, note that the case of Mikalai Autukhovich hadn’t been brought to trial still, and his state of health has deteriorated considerably.

“We demand immediate release of Mikalai Autukhovich and use of best endeavours to release him. If that won’t be done, the leaders of our state will be responsible for Mikalai Autukhovich’s life,” the BelaPAN quotes the statement.

The chairman of the Rada (Council), a film director and educator Uladzimir Kolas, called the conditions of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe to ban execution of death penalty in order to resume Special Guest status for the Belarusian parliament “cynical” in the context of what is happening with Autukhovich. As said by Kolas, the developments with Autukhovich have been caused by the fact that laws do not work in the country, and everything depends on one person or a group of people.

“In such a situation the person, most likely detained on fabricated charges, cannot prove his innocence. And the regime lets him die, instead of acting in conformity with the law,” the chairman of the Rada underlined.

Leaders of entrepreneurs from Vaukavysk Mikalai Autukhovich, Yury Lyavonau, and Uladzimir Asipenka were detained on February 8, 2009. On February 18, they were charged under article 218 of the Criminal Code (intentional damage to or destruction of property). Human rights activists consider the detainees to be political prisoners drawing attention to the fact Autukhovich and Lyavonau were convicted before and recognized prisoners of conscience by the international community.

Mikalai Autukhovich announced a hunger strike on April 16. He protests against the criminal prosecution and demands either to forward his case to the court or to change the measure of restraint from imprisonment to a written undertaking not to leave the place.