Hrodna Regional Court turns down Mikalai Autukhovich’s appeal against police supervision

The Hrodna Regional Court dismissed today an appeal by former political prisoner Mikalai Autukhovich filed to challenge a court ruling which extended by six months his preventive supervision.

"I had no expectations about this decision. The order to extend the supervision was sent from above. I knew about it back in March,” said Autukhovich in his comment for belaruspartisan.org.

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The former political prisoner, who for health reasons could not attend the court session on August 6, asked to cancel the decision of the Vaŭkavysk District Court.

Having examined the case without the participation of Autukhovich, the court actually deprived him of an opportunity to give explanations on the case, to enter motions and petitions, ask questions to representatives of the Department of Corrections, to attach to the case file other documents.

In addition to the fact that a court sentence shall be revoked if the criminal case is considered in the absence of the defendant, except as provided for in Article 294 of the Criminal Procedure Code, the very grounds for extending the preventive supervision cause serious doubt.