Prisoner of Conscience Mikhail Marynich in Hospital again

Mikhail Marynich, political prisoner, former minister and ambassador of Belarus, has been transferred to Belarusian prison hospital. Journalists were informed about it by his son Paviel Marynich, leader of the public initiative “Freedom to Political Prisoners!”, member of “Free Belarus” coalition. According to Paviel, his father has problems with his sight.

On 30 December 2004 Mikhail Marynich, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of Belarus, former minister of foreign economic relations, was sentenced to five years of jail with confiscation of property. He was charged with theft of computers that belonged to the US Embassy despite of the absence of any pretensions from the side of the Embassy and its official statement that the computers were lent to the organization, headed by Mikhail Marynich, free of charge. 1,5 months later the college board of Minsk Regional Court, decreased the prison term to 3,5 years, taking into consideration his merits, age and the state of health. On 7 March Marynich had a heart attack in Orsha penal colony. That time he was transferred to the prison hospital in Minsk only because of demands of Belarusian and international community. After this he was transferred to Minsk colony.