Family of political prisoner Aliaksandr Klaskouski is on the brink of powerty

His wife and three children have to survive on a state welfare equal to 60 US dollars per month.

Volha Klaskouskaia, Aliaksandr’s sister, informed that the family cannot even afford to send a parcel to the KGB prison for him. What is more, the family was evicted from the apartment they have bought, because of the delay in the mortgage payments. The oldest child is eleven years old, middle – seven, and the youngest – three. The wife of the opposition activist is on a parental leave, so she does not work.

Mr. Klaskouski is a former policeman. He came to the 19 December demonstration against the rigged presidential election wearing his old police uniform. When the security forces attacked demonstrators, he tried to persuade them to stop. He is now charged with inciting mass social unrest and can be sentenced to a maximum of 15 years in prison.

Human rights defendants in Minsk think that Belarusian authorities want to punish him to deter other policemen who are discontent with the current situation in Belarus from acting. Right after Mr. Klaskouski was arrested, someone posted a video on you tube, showing him apologizing to policemen. Father of the defendant thinks he might have been drugged when the video was recorded.