Mikalai Statkevich transferred to general unit in correctional facility

The political prisoner was transferred from the quarantine unit to the general unit in the Shklou correctional facility No. 17.

It was said by his wife Maryna Adamovich, statkevich.org writes.

“Mikalai has called and said that he was transferred from the quarantine unit to unit No. 1. It is located in the same building with the jail administration,” she says. “It is situated rather far from other jail units. I think it was done on purpose to isolate Mikalai from other prisoners. His communication was restricted in the quarantine units. He was allowed to visit the cafeteria and appear for checks, though earlier, when he arrived here for the first time, he was allowed to walk in the unit's yard. Mikalai jokes that it was in summer, but they take care of him in winter.”

The political prisoner wanted to be transferred to a working unit, as it was 3.5 years ago, but his application was denied.

“This new unit differs from his old one. The building was repaired. It has new plumbing fixtures instead of a 'hole in the floor' in old buildings. He said food became better, but it's still not good enough even for prison food.

Mikalai says he is happy to take a breath of fresh air after three years in prison. He is still in information isolation. He was not allowed to subscribe to newspapers. In January, prison authorities didn't allow him get a subscription due to his transfer to the correctional facility. The staff of the correctional facility said someone outside prison can subscribe him to newspapers. But before his phone call to home, they told him that he must do it himself in the correctional facility. It turned out after the call that I can subscribe him to newspapers too. But it was late. Mikalai will not receive newspapers in February. The editor's office of Novy Chas sends him the newspaper to his new address, but he has never received it yet,” Maryna Adamovich said.

In May 2011, Minsk's Leninski district court sentenced Statkevich to 6 years of imprisonment for organising mass disorders on the presidential elections on December 19, 2010. The opposition politician was sent to Shklou correctional facility No. 17, but confinement conditions for him were strengthened in January 2012. He he was transferred to prison No. 4 in Mahilou for three years until January 12, 2015.

Mikalai Statkevich, 58, is the only presidential candidate still held in behind bars.