Political prisoner Zmitser Dashkevich got released from jail

The leader of the "Young Front" Zmitser Dashkevich was released from Hrodna prison today, on 28 August. It happened at half past six in the morning. The prisoner of conscience was met by dozens of people – friends, journalists and his wife – Anastasiya Dashkevich.

People began to gather the night before and waited forhis release all night. They were approached by the police several times and warned against picketing. Young people come from all over the country – Minsk, Lida, Baranavichy, Salihorsk, Mahiliou and Brest.

The present people were also warned agaisnt writing anything on the prison walls before the release of Mr. Dashkevich. However, no one was detained.

According to Radio “Liberty”, during the improvised press-conference at the corner of Haradnichanskaya and Kirau Streets, Dashkevich stated that he felt healthy, thanked everybody for the support he felt behind bars and stated his intention to continue his earlier activities. He said that he slept during the last night before his release calmly, without any stress, as this system had trained him well enough for it.

What concerns the relations to himself in prison, Mr. Dashkevich stated that the administration of various prisons tried to use prisoners for influence on him, but in most cases he received support.

On the relation to his prison Dashkevich said that the administration tried to use various prisons for prisoners so that they influenced him, but mostly all the support he received.

At 12.00 a.m. on 29 August Zmitser Dashkevich will hold a press-conference at the BPF office in Minsk.

Zmitser Dashkevich was taken in custody on 18 December 2010. On 24 March 2011 he was groundlessly sentenced to 2 years of imprisonment by the Maskouski District Court of Minsk under Article 339, part 2 of the Criminal Code, “malignant hooliganism”. groundlessly sentenced to 2 years of imprisonment at a minimum security prison. On 28 August he was sentenced to 1 year of imprisonment under Article 411 of the Criminal Code, “disobedience to the requirements of the prison administration”, which included the 4 months which remained to his release. As a result, Mr. Dashkevich was released after serving a total of 2 years and 8 months in jail. Moreover, on 30 October 2012 the conditions of his imprisonment were toughened on verdict of an ambulatory court session, as a result of which he was transferred from the Mazyr penal colony to the cell-type prison No. 1 in Hrodna.

The Human Rights Center "Viasna" warmly welcomes the release of Zmitser Dashkevich and wishes him a fruitful social and political life, a quick adaptation and good family relationships!