There has been no information about Ihar Alinevich for a month already

As reported by the mother of the political prisoner, Valiantsina Alinevich, there hasn't been any information about him for a month already. This fact is of great concern, as the latest news about him back in May were that was placed in the penal cell for a short term.

The lawyer of the Human Rights Center "Viasna" Anastasiya Loika notes that limiting the communication of prisoners is one of the most common forms of pressure.

"Absence of contacts with a prisoner, of course, makes the society, his relatives and advocates think he could be placed in the penal cell, tortured or beaten. The fact that the prison administration purposefully limits communication can't but be regarded as a peculiar strategy of pressurization.

What concerns Mr. Alinevich in particular, the colony staff pay an extraordinary attention to him first of all because of his special status. That's why the prison authorities don't want the people to know about him too much."

Human rights activists also link the facts of pressurization of political prisoners with the beginning of the election campaign, which is always characterized by an increasing attention to prisoners and imposition of restrictions, such as censorship and absence of communication. One of the latest cases is the recent situation with the political prisoner Mikalai Dziadok, whom his lawyer wasn't allowed to meet without any reasons.

“There is a peculiar situation – the more we speak of the problems of political prisoners in the country the more they are pressurized. However, we still need to give publicity to their problems,” insists Valiantsina Alinevich.

Let us remind that in 2011 Ihar Alinevich was sentenced to eight years in prison on charges of "hooliganism", which he has never recognized. Since the transfer of the colony "Vićba-3" in July 2014 Mr. Alinevich has been subject to numerous pressures: he has been placed in solitary confinement at least six times, his contracts with friends and relatives are strictly censored by the prison administration, he has been several times deprived of meetings with relatives.

palitviazni.info