Penal colony administration keeps date of  trial over Dashkevich in secret

• 29.10.2012, 16:42

The penal colony in Mozyr does not confirm the information about the trial on October 30, where the court of Mozyr is expected to decide whether Dashkevich should be sent to a closed prison.

On October 29, the Mozyr colony administration didn't have precise information whether the trial would be held on October 30. They said the judge was ill.

“I don't know and cannot say anything,” a prison officer said.

Zmister Dashkevich's fiancée Anastasia Palazhanka and his lawyer are going to visit the penal colony even if there's no precise information about the trial, Radio Svaboa reports.

There have been no letters or calls from Zmitser Dashkevich since October 25, the last time when the lawyer saw him. Anastasia says about Zmitser's mood ahead of the trial:

“Of course, he worries a bit about the trial. It is a new transfer, new prison and new prison officers. The possibility of new provocations cannot be ruled out. It was difficult in Mozyr, but we know what we can expect here. But new conditions and a new closed prison are ahead. Let's see. Zmitser has already seen enough. I am sure he will cope with it.”

In late August, Young Front leader Zmitser Dashkevich was sentenced in Hlybokae penal colony to an additional year in prison on accusations of failure to obey the prison authorities. He was sent to serve the term in the penal colony in Mozyr. According to Zmitser Dashkevich, he met pressure from the prison administration and was thrown into a punishment cell. The activist went on hunger strike in protest. He terminated the hunger strike after being moved to a cell-type unit. Zmitser Dashkeivch was said in early October that he would stand trial to decide whether he should be moved to a closed prison.