Political prisoner continue losing weight

• 31.08.2009, 13:24

Mikalai Autukhovich weights less than 70 kilograms two and a half months after the hunger strike.

As lawyer Pavel Sapelka told BelaPAN, the Vaukavysk entrepreneur still can’t recover after the long hunger strike. He weights less than 70 kilograms today.

According to Sapelka, his client feels well in spite of weight loss.

The lawyer refused to say any details regarding the investigation of the criminal case against Autukhovich referring to secrecy of investigation.

Entrepreneurs from Vaukavysk Mikalai Autukhovich, Yury Lyavonau, and Uladzimir Asipenka were detained in Vaukavysk on February 8 and guarded to pre-trial detention center #1 in Minsk. 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 “other persons”, the Ministry of Internal Affairs reported.

Political prisoner Mikalai Autukhovich was on hunger strike from April 16 to June 16 demanding to send his case to court or change a measure of restraint for him and other people involved in the case from custody to release on own recognition.

Lyavonau was released from the pre-trial detention office in Minsk on his own recognition on August 8. Asipenka and Autukhovich are still in custody.

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.