Autukhovich and Asipenka’s period of detention extended

Period of detention for Vaukavysk businessmen extended till February 28.

It was said by Uladzimir Asipenka’s daughter, Liudmila Asipenka, who received a letter from her father in the beginning of the week.

As informed by “Belarusian Partisan”, Uladzimir Asipenka informs that their detention extended till February 28. It is worth mentioning that sanctions for extending the period of detention had been issued by the judge of the Supreme Court A. Tsyatsiukhin, not the office of Prosecutor General.

Liudmila Asipenka believes that “if the name of the judge is known, it is most likely that the case would be by the Supreme Court”.

The daughter of the political prisoner says that her father does not complain about his health a lot. “He has eye problems. However, all the people there have the same problems,” Liudmila Asipenka noted.

We remind that businessmen from Vaukavysk Mikalai Autukhovich, Yury Lyavonau, and Uladzimir Asipenka were detained on February 8, 2009. On February 18, the entrepreneurs were charged under article 218 of the Criminal Code (intentional damage to or destruction of property of citizens). On June 23, a criminal case under article 359 of the Criminal Code (a terroristic act) in the form of preparation (article 13) was instigated against Autukhovich and “other persons”.

Lyavonau was released from Minsk remand prison on August 8. On September 24, he was cleared from all charges. Autukhovich and Asipenka are still in the detention facility #1 in Minsk.

Human rights activists consider them political prisoners, turning attention to the fact that Autukhovich and Lyavonau were convicted before and recognized prisoners of conscience by the international community. In January 2010, the influential Human Rights Watch recognized the Vaukavysk businessmen and arrested participant of the Process of 14 Artsyom Dubski political prisoners.