Head of Minsk OSCE Mission Not Allowed to Meet with Artur Finkevich

Source: www.charter97.org

In the evening of 21 March the administration of Mahiliou corrective labor facility where youth leader Artur Finkevich is serving out his 2 years’ term of personal restrain didn’t allow head of the OSCE Minsk Office Oke Peterson to meet him.

The prison authorities purposefully started the check and formation of prisoners 10 minutes earlier than the schedule. Visiting prisoners is allowed until 7p.m. but they the prison’s gates were closed at 10 minutes to seven when Oke Peterson was approaching the entrance stairs. The diplomat was met there by police major Uladzimir Kazlou. He stood in the diplomat’s way and categorically refused to let the visitors into the building. He also refused to give any comments, Radio Racyja reported.

At that moment Finkevich was standing next to the major. He even managed to shake hands with Peterson. And thus the contacts between the prisoner and the diplomat were finished. The youth activist supposes that the situation occurred due to the tapping of his mobile phone. Finkevich had already learned about the diplomat’s visit at daytime. After that his every step had been carefully monitored.

A few hours before the accident head of the prison lieutenant colonel Aliaksandr Lamoza who was officially on a sick leave arrived to the prison. Furthermore, when Finkevich returned from the work two officers appeared in the lobby. Among them there were even representatives of Mahiliou regional office of the department of punishment execution.

The official appointment of head of the OSCE Minsk Office with the authorities of the Mahiliou regional executive committee is to take place 22 March.