Court transfers political prisoner Statkevich to prison for three years
On 12 January the former presidential
candidate stood trial in a penal colony in Shklou.
The initiative of the colony authorities to toughen confinement conditions for
the former presidential candidate was heard at the trial. Colony authorities
say Mikalai Statkevich does not mend his way and that’s why he should be
transferred to a facility with stricter confinement conditions – a closed
prison.
An official ground for accusing Statkevich was absence of
a label with his number on his clothes and failure to include handkerchiefs in
the list of his personal possessions, the wife of the politician said.
The real cause for toughening confinement conditions was principled position of
Statkevich, who did not admit his guilt and does not want to apply to
Lukashenka for a pardon.
Bear in mind that last spring, the former presidential candidate was found
guilty of organizing mass disorders and sentenced to 6-year imprisonment.
Mikalai Statkevich looked good during the trial and took the sentence bravely.
His wife, Maryna Adamovich, says the
decision of the judge was unfair, but she expected it. The woman says she did
not hope for a better decision. “Justice died long time ago in Belarus,” she said.
The trial was conducted by judge Volkau from Shklou.
“Medium and maximum security penal colonies differ from a prison only by
confinement conditions. A prison supposes limited number of meetings,
restrictions in correspondence. An inmate has the right to spend one basic unit
of money per month, he cannot receive parcels. Calls to relatives are allowed
only in exceptional cases. Confinement conditions are tougher than in ordinary
penitentiaries. As a rule, prisons are for persons, who repeatedly violated
prison rules and regulations, or for dangerous special criminals for the first
five years of imprisonment,” Radio Svaboda quotes human rights defender Hary Pahaniaila.
