Mikalai Autukhovich beats off security services' accusations of foreign currency speculations

The Hrodna regional court closed the case against the activist and former political prisoner in connection with trump-up accusations of foreign currency exchange.

Investigators of the financial investigation department of the Vaukavysk region charged Mikalai Autukhovich of buying foreign currency from a taxi passenger. They presented evidence of two witnesses, who later withdrew them at the trial, Radio Svaboda reports.

According to Autukhovich, one of the passengers offered him to buy 5,000 Russian rubles, but he refused to buy it. He was later called to the financial police and shown a report, saying that he had bought the money. Autukhovich told investigators what had really happened, but they didn't listen to him. The case was submitted to court.

“The man who exchanged the money and who was detained said at the hearing that he had told the investigator ten times that Autukhovich hadn't exchanged the money. He exchanged it at the central station from another man. 'I once came for a questioning, and they said I was drunk and hadn't remember anything. They said Autukhovuch had exchanged the money. They said I would just pay a fine of four minimum wages if I signed the report. I did so.' He said it at the trial,” the former political prisoner noted.

According to Autukhovich, the other witness also withdrew his evidence at the trial.

The Vaukavysk district court acquitted Autukhovich, but the financial investigation department filed an appeal to the regional court. According to it, the investigators have enough proofs to find Autukhovich guilty, but it was unclear why the witnesses changed their evidence.

The Hrodna regional court said today that the case was closed.

Mikalai Autukhovich says he doesn't know who and why framed up the case against him, but he thinks he still has enemies in the financial investigation department.

“I understand that one can add some fake things the case. But it seems ridiculous to take to a court two witnesses who just say that Autukhovich exchange money illegally. The case even didn't mention the money they talked about,” he said.

Autukhovich is going to complain about the financial investigation department and want it to compensate for his expenses for the trial.