Aleh Vouchak: Investigation in Autukhovich and Asipenka’s case to be extended for a month

Human rights activists are concerned for life and health of political prisoner Mikalai Autukhovich.

On October 21 during a presentation of the book “Political prisoners. Criminal sentences issued in 2008 on political motives” in Minsk Aleh Vouchak supposed that investigation in the case of Mikalai Autukhovich and Uladzimir Asipenka would be extended for one more month, BelaPAN informs.

As informed by Vouchak, on November 8 investigation authorities are either to adopt a decision to extend the terms of investigation and Autukhovich and Asipenka’s incarceration, or to release them. “But as far as I know, they haven’t been acquainted wither case yet, and the case documents consist of 20 volumes, and there are 4 persons involved in the case now. All of them haven’t even been presented a statement that the criminal investigation has finished. So one might expect that the investigation is to be extended,” Vouchak said.

As said by him, he personally has misgivings about Autukhovich’s life and health. “Autukhovich was on a long hunger strike and was in the remand prison for about 9 months. Now I am most worried that a situation could happen when they would be embarrassed to release him from prison, and there is no evidence against him. There was such a person in Mahilyou, Tkachou, he was charged with committing a terrorist attack, and then he allegedly under suspicious circumstances hanged himself in the camera. It would be an ideal variant for the regime for Autukhovich’s heart “to stop” or some “vitamin shortage” would happen,” Vouchak said.

So, as said by Vouchak, human rights activists should do everything possible to help Autukhovich and Asipenka be released from the remand prison.

Mikalai Autukhovich, Yury Lyavonau, and Uladzimir Asipenka were detained in Vaukavysk on February 8, 2009. On February 18, the entrepreneurs were charged under article 218 of the Criminal Code (intentional damage to or destruction of property of citizens). On June 23, a criminal case under article 359 of the Criminal Code (a terroristic act) in the form of preparation (article 13) was instigated against Autukhovich and “other persons”.

Lyavonau was released from Minsk remand prison on August 8. Al charges against him were dismissed on September 24. Autukhovich and Asipenka are still in detention facility #1 in Minsk.