Political prisoner Dziadok cuts his abdomen and arms in prison

• 27.05.2015, 14:20

Mikalai Dziadok protested against tortures by prison staff.

Viasna human rights centre learnt it from Valeria Khotsina, the wife of the political prisoner.

Mikalai Dziadok was transferred to correctional facility No.9 in Horki for his new prison term on May 12. On May 13, he was thrown into a punishment cell for five days. On May 19, he was transferred to a solitary confinement cell. Mikalai Dziadok spent the night in a very cold cell and asked to be transferred to another cell.

On the morning of May 20, the political prisoner cut his abdomen and arms to draw attention of prison officers. He received medical attention in a medical unit and was returned to the same cold cell where he remained until May 26. According to Valeria Khotsina, her husband already received four sanctions.

Mikalai Dziadok has served 4.5 years of imprisonment for alleged destructive actions against official buildings. He was to be released on March 3, 2015. On February 26, the court of Mahilou's Leninski district sentenced the political prisoners to an additional year in a maximum security correctional facility for violating article 411 of the Criminal Code (disobeying orders of prison staff). The court of appeal upheld the verdict on April 30.