Congratulate Mikalai Autukhovich: the political prisoner celebrates his 50-year jubilee on 7 January
Mikalai Autukhovich. Photo by Yulia Darashkevich.
Mikalai Autukhovich is a veteran of
the war in Afghanistan, successful entrepreneur and democratic
activist from Vaukavysk, imprisoned for his anti-corruption
activities.
Mikalai Autukhovich was born on 7 January 1963 in
Vaukavysk. In 1981 he started serving in the army in the Saratov
oblast in Russia, as a driver in the strategic rocket forces. Later
he finished the school of ensigns and volunteered to serve in
Afghanistan. He was awarded with the "Red Star" order and
the medals "For Courage" and "For Service in Battle"
for guarding the bridge near Kandahar and participation in other
military operations. In 1991 he left the army with the rank of senior
ensign and started a business.
At first Mikalai Autukhovich
was arrested in October 2005.
Mikalai Autukhovich was arrested
for the first time in October 2005 and sentenced to 3.5 years of
imprisonment on charges in tax evasion. He was one of the six
political prisoners released as a result of the US and the EU
sanctions.
Mr. Autukhovich was arrested again on 8 February
2009. On 6 May 2009 he was sentenced to 5 years and 2 months in a
high-security prison by the Supreme Court under Article 295, part 3
of the Criminal Code (unlawful actions with firearms, ammunition and
explosives).
On 17 January 2012 the conditions of his
imprisonment were toughened by a court ruling, as a result of which
he was transferred from the Ivatsevichy colony #5 to the cell-type
prison #1 in Hrodna.
You can write a letter to the prisoner on
the following address:
Kirau Street, 1, prison No. 1
230023,
Hrodna
For Mikalai Mikalayevich Autukhovich
