Court orders psychiatric examination of Kavalenka
The regional court was to hear the appeal against the
decision of the Pershamaiski district court of Vitebsk today.
The hearing was postponed until obtaining a medical opinion on the
psychological state of political prisoner Siarhei Kavalenka, “Salidarnast” reports.
Human rights activist Siarhei Sys
wrote on his Facebook account the judicial board appointed a comprehensive
psychiatric examination in Navinki hospital for Siarhei Kavalenka.
Hearing of the appeal against the Pershamaiski district court decision was
suspended. The court was presented a preliminary medical opinion saying
Kavalenka has a mental disorder expressed among other things in refusal to
accept food.
“The medical examination is to answer the following questions: if Kavalenka
suffered from a mental disease when he was committing a criminal offense on
January 7, 2010; if he could have realized all his actions at this time; if he
suffers from a mental disorder now; if he needs compulsory treatment; if he has
individual peculiarities of his mental state.”
We remind on 10 April the Vitebsk region court was to hear the appeal against the
verdict against Siarhei Kavalenka, who was given three years' suspended
sentence last year. He was punished for hanging out a national
white-red-white flag on city's Christmas Tree. Protesting, the activist of the
CCP-BPF party went on hunger strike, during which he lost half his body weight.
