Arrested UCP member Andrei Bandarenka went on hungry strike in prison

The former independent MP candidate, charged with an economic crime, think the case against him is political.

As the website ucpb.org reminds, on October 7, member of the United Civil Party Andrei Bandarenka was sentenced to seven years in prison with property confiscation. Considering the case against him political, Bandarenka went on hungry strike in prison protesting against the unfair judgement.

“Bandarenka has chosen this variant of protest,” lawyer Dzmitry Layeuski says. “From our side, my colleague and I use procedure methods, we are preparing a complaint. Bandarenka had nothing to do except express his protest in such a way.”

According to Dzmitry Layeueski, Bandarenka is accused of illegal possession of monetary means, but proves of committing the crime were not presented to the court. Besides, the post the accused had taken (a business consultant) doesn’t call him a responsible official.

“Besides, there are some weak points of the prosecution in the case,” Andrei Bandarenka’s lawyer said.

“It is clear,” Alyaksandr Dabravolski, the head of the political affairs committee of the UCP Political Council, says, “that Bandarenka suffers persecution on political motives. I don’t know how long his hunger strike will be, but he is not likely to stop it in the nearest time.”