Autukhovich to spen another month in jail

The investigation of the case of the political prisoner Mikalai Autukhovich is extended for a month till 3 July. The entrepreneur has lost 25 kilograms for 1.5 months of hunger strike. He demands that the case be passed to court as soon as possible or the restraint to him be changed.

Mikalai Autukhovich, Yury Liavonau and Uladzimir Asipenka were detained on 8 February 2009. On 18 February the investigative department of the police department of Hrodna oblast executive committee accused them under article 218 of the Criminal Code of Belarus (intentional destruction or damage to property of citizens), RFE/RL reports.

Lawyers and relatives of the accused state the investigation is not being carried out. On 16 April Mikalai Autukhovich went on hunger strike. The entrepreneur will stop the hungry strike if the case is sent to court or the measure of restraint is changed.

Neither of the two demands has been fulfilled.

Moreover, on 2 June the prosecutor of Minsk oblast extended the criminal case till 3 July. According to the lawyer Pavel Sapelka, Mikalai Autukhovich has lost 25 kilograms; the businessman tries not to move to spend less energy.

According to Mr. Sapelka, Mikalai Autukhovich feels very badly.

‘His condition is bad’, the lawyer says. ‘He continues losing his weight, he has lost 25 kilograms since he was detained. He loses 2–3 kilograms every day. He doesn’t administer IV therapy as he doesn’t see sense in this. He is going to prepare a new complaint, but I can foresee now its destiny. Their attitude to our complaints suggests they didn’t even consider them.’

Bear in mind that Belarusian public and political figures started a relay hunger strike of solidarity with Mikalai Autukhovich.

Human right activists consider the entrepreneurs to be prisoners of science and demand their immediate release. It should be noticed that Mikalai Autukhovich and Yury Liavonau were imprisoned before and recognized prisoners of conscience by the international community.