Investigation in case of political prisoner Uladzimir Asipenka extended to 2 months

• 10.08.2009, 11:22

Uladzimir Asipenka has been under custody in pre-trial detection center #1 of the main militia department of the Minsk city executive committee.

The investigation in the case of one of three entrepreneurs from Vaukavysk Uladzimir Asipenka has been extended to two months. Daughter of the political prisoner Lyudmila Asipenka told this on August 10.

Relatives and lawyers of the arrested entrepreneurs are not informed about extension of the terms of detention and other details of the criminal case. Uladzimir Asipenka is accused of arsons in Vaukavysk in 2005. However, other people were punished for this crime some years ago.

We remind that entrepreneurs from Vaukavysk Mikalai Autukhovich, Uladzimir Asipenka, and Yury Lyavonau have spent 6 month in custody by August 8.

Yury Lyavonau was released from the Minsk detention facility on his own recognizance on August 8.

Mikalai Autukhovich, Yury Lyavonau, and Uladzimir Asipenka were detained in February 8. On February 18, the entrepreneurs were charged under article 218 of the Criminal Code (intentional damage to or destruction of property of citizens). On June 23, a criminal case under article 359 of the Criminal Code (a terroristic act) in the form of preparation (article 13) was instigated against Autukhovich and “the repressions”, the Ministry of Internal Affairs reported. The detained are in pre-trial detention center #1 in Minsk.

Mikalai Autukhovich held a three-month hunger strike from April 16 to July 16 demanding to send his case to court as soon as possible or to change a measure of restraint to all detained from custody to release on own recognizance.

Human rights activists consider the detained to be political prisoners drawing attention to the fact that Autukhovich and Lyavonau were convicted before and recognized prisoners of conscience by the international community.