Marek Migalski demands to stop torture of Mikalai Statkevich

A member of the European Parliament, Marek Migalski, has applied to the Corrections Department of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Belarus.

He turned attention of the department executives to the fact that Statkevich had been kept in a cell with a TB patient, which was a serious threat to the health of the political prisoner, “Narodnaya Volya” newspaper writes.

The MEP raises concern about Mikalai Statkevich's current cellmate Andrei Vasilyeu, the deputy commander of military unit No. 3214 responsible for physical training. He is reported by media to be involved in kidnappings and killings of opposition politicians and journalists by the “death squad”.

Marek Migalski writes in his letter: “I regard the steps taken in relation to Mikalai Statkevich by the administration of prison No. 4 in Mahilou as pressure, torture and ill-treatment. I'd like to remind in accordance with the international legislation in human rights sphere, including the Convention against Torture ratified by the Republic of Belarus, any forms of torture and cruel treatment in prison are inadmissible.”

Marek Migalski demands that the Corrections Department chief should inform him why the prison administration took such a decision in relation to the political prisoner.

The MEP sent a copy of the letter to the prison chief.