Detained entrepreneurs are transferred to prison in Valadarski Street
The term of imprisonment of Uladzimir Asipenka, Mikalai Autukhovich and Yury Liavonau and has been extended for 7 days. Political prisoners have been transferred from the detention centre in Akrestsin Street to the remand prison in Valadarski Street.
It has been reported by a human rights activist Aleh Vouchak to the Charter’97 press-centre. As said by him, today lawyers failed to meet with their clients because of preparing document for transfer of prisoners to the remand prison.
‘One thing could be said unambiguously, that incarceration conditions in the remand prison in Valadarski Street are harsher than in Akrestsin Street. It concerns internal regulations, different limitations. Moreover, it is much harder to be in Valadarski street detention centre psychologically,’ Aleh Vouchak said.
The human rights activist has also found out that in the next 7 days investigators are set to confront the accusers. Some ‘witnesses’ have emerged, and their names are still unknown.
Extension of the period under guard for the leaders of small businessmen’s movement is explained by Aleh Vouchak by the fact that the investigation simply has no proof of his guilt of the detained.
‘I think they have no proofs and evidence of crime. Now a propaganda campaign has started on Belarusian TV for smearing Autukhovich, Liavonau and Asipenka. Small businessmen from Vaukavysk are charged with heavens knows what, while workers of the Belarusian TV are afraid to tell their names. I think it is a political action of intimidation of the democratic activists who haven’t admitted defeat and remain reputable for people. The arrest of businessmen’s leaders has thrown the Belarusian authorities for half a year ago in their negotiations in the European Union,’ Aleh Vouchak stated.
Bear in mind that on 8 February Almaz special police force and policemen of the operational group on organized crime arrested leaders of entrepreneurs Mikalai Autukhovich, Yury Liavonau and Uladzimir Asipenka. After searches in their apartments, entrepreneurs were taken to Minsk to Akrestsin Street detention centre. They are charged with arson of a policeman’s house 5 years ago.
Mikalai Autukhovich and Yury Liavonau are former political prisoners sentenced to imprisonment for far-fetched accusation for defense of rights of entrepreneurs. In the beginning of 2008 the measure of restraint was changed for him to restriction of freedom.
