Pavel Sapelka: Autukhovich hasn’t put on weight after hungry strike
1- 7.10.2009, 13:22
The lawyer of the political prisoner Mikalai Autukhovich states his client hasn’t recovered after the long hungry strike.
On October 8, the term of preliminary investigation of the criminal case against entrepreneurs from Vaukavysk Mikalai Autukhovich and Uladzimir Asipenka. Familiarization with the materials of the case will soon start, lawyer Pavel Sapelka told “Belorusski Partizan”.
The lawyer signed a non-disclosure agreement, so he is very careful with statements. The lawyer refused to comment on the situation around the case of the Vaukavysk entrepreneurs. Pavel Sapelka said Mikalai Autukhovich hadn’t recovered after the hunger strike. The Vaukavysk entrepreneur is kept in a mass cell.
Mikalai Autukhovich doesn’t have any complaints. The lawyer sent a complaint to the prosecutor’s office, but it was sent to the governmental agency the lawyer complained against. What to the weight of Mikalai Autukhovich, the lawyer found it difficult to say whether his client had put on weight.
“Nobody weights him, by judging by his appearance he hasn’t done,” Sapelka noted.
What concerns the prospects for the criminal case, “familiarization with the materials of the case” will soon start. The accused and the defence haven’t familiarized themselves with the materials yet.
Entrepreneurs Mikalai Autukhovich, Yury Lyavonau, and Uladzimir Asipenka were detained in Vaukavysk on February 8. 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”, the Ministry of Internal Affairs reported.
Human rights activists consider the detained to be political prisoners drawing attention to the fact that Autukhovich and Lyavonau were convicted before and recognized prisoners of conscience by the international community.
Lyavonau was released from the pre-trial detention office in Minsk on his own recognition on August 8. All investigating activities against him were stopped.
