Political Prisoner Finkevich Put to Ward with Convicts

Friends of Artur Finkevich have learnt from his letters that the political prisoner has been transferred to another ward, a ward for convicts. The young activist, who has served a term of corrective labor, was sentenced again to 1,5 years of imprisonment in December.

Finkevich challenged the verdict and now waits for his appeal to be considered. Until now he cannot be considered a convict, that’s why his transfer to the ward of convicted inmates is called illegal by experts, RFE/RL informs.

According to reports, administration of Mahiliou detention facility offers Artur Finkevich to agree with sending him to a colony before the appeal considered, but the activist does not agree.

The conditions in the new ward are worse. At first there were more than 20 persons, the cell having only 18 places. The cellmates had to sleep in turns. ‘Now the situation is better. The number of prisoners corresponds to the number of sleeping places’,” Artur’s friend Liudmila Atakulava said quoting Artur’s last letter.

According to her, Artur Finkevich started to read the materials of the case which are to be considered when his appeal to Mahiliou oblast court would be heard.