Charges in Anton Filimonau’s Case Change
According to the press-service of the Belarusian Association of Journalists
On 10 April Minsk Pershamaiski Borough Court will start the consideration of the criminal case of Anton Filimonau, son of the murdered journalist Veranika Charkasava. The 16-year-old guy and three his acquaintances are charged with production and market of forged Belarusian money.
Anton Filimonau was detained on 27 December by workers of Minsk Pershamaiski Borough Board of Internal Affairs on suspicion in production of forged money. Several banknotes worth 5 000 and 10 000 rubles were found during the searches. A criminal case under part 1 of article 221 of the Criminal Code was brought against him and his acquaintances. The teenagers spent several days in isolator, but on 20 December all of them, except for Anton, were let go. Only he was left in jail. Despite the numerous applications of Anton’s relatives, he was released only on 13 March.
Several days later it became known that the charges were changed: now A.Filimonau is accused of violation of part 2 of article 221. Part 1 provides 2-5 years of jail as punishment, whereas part 2 - 5 -15.
Anton’s grandfather reminds that article 37 of the International Convention on Children’s Rights that was ratified by Belarus allows detention of minors in jail in extreme cases and the period of detention is limited by 3-10 days, whereas Anton Filimonau spent 76 days behind bars. According to the relatives, the state of Anton’s health during the period of detention considerably deteriorated: in addition to kidney and hearth illnesses he now has problems with thyroid. On 3 April he was to have been taken to hospital, but it was delayed because of the upcoming court hearings.
