Political prisoner Asipenka charged with terrorist attack preparation as well

Uladzimir Asipenka, a businessman from Vaukavysk, has been charged with terrorist attack preparation.

“Belarusian partisan” was informed about that by a human rights activist Aleh Vouchak on November 25.

A week ago Mikalai Autukhovich was the first who was charged with terrorist attack preparation. The human rights activist believes that until the end of the week charges against Alyaksandr Laryn and Mikhail Kazlou, a police major, are to be brought. After that all the accused are to be prepared for studying the materials of the case. When terrorist attack preparation is in question, ”attempt on life of the chairman of Hrodna regional executive committee Uladzimir Sauchanka and Deputy Minister of Taxation Vasil Kamenka is meant”.

Thus, there are four persons involved in the case on terrorist attack. They are: Mikalai Autukhovich and Uladzimir Asipenka (Yury Lyavonau was released on August 8, on September 24 the businessman was freed from all criminal charges), and the former policeman Mikhail Kazlou and Alyaksandr Laryn.

Mikhail Kazlou from Hrodna, who was detained a month ago, is one of the former chief officers of organized crime department of Hrodna regional executive committee. According to “Belarusian partisan”, it was Mikhail Kazlou who adopted a decision to bring up a criminal action against the commander of the inspection of the Taxation Ministry of Vaukavysk district in 2003 pursuant to an appeal of Mikalai Autukhovich. Later he was charged with a failure to report the prepared terrorist attack; allegedly Kazlou knew about it and failed to report.

All the accused and witnesses in “Vaukavysk case” are named by Alyaksandr Laryn. Laryn worked in Mikalai Autukhovich’s firm previously. “This person could be ill or something. But investigation has a flawed witness,” Aleh Vouchak said.

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”.

Vaukavysk businessman Yury Lyavonau was released from Minsk remand prison on August 8. The case against him was closed on September 24.

Mikalai Autukhovich was on hunger strike from April 16 to July 16. He demanded either to take the case to the court as soon as possible, or to change the measure of restraint for all persons involved in the case from imprisonment to a written undertaking not to leave the place.

Human rights activists consider them political prisoners, turning attention to the fact that Autukhovich and Lyavonau were convicted before and recognized prisoners of conscience by the international community.