Pavel Sapelka: “Under the law Autukhovich was to be released long ago”

The lawyer of the political prisoner Mikalai Autukhovich believes that the Belarusian authorities have no grounds to keep Vaukavysk entrepreneur behind the bars.

“We continue to familiarize ourselves with the case, and no fresh news except that,” Paval Sapelka said in an interview to Radio Svaboda about the case of the political prisoner.

Paval Sapelka stated that the situation with human rights in Belarus hasn’t improved at the time when Autukhovich’s case is developing.

“To my mind, Autukhovich should have been released long ago under the law. I think many Belarusians could appear it such a situation, and the result would be the same,” said the lawyer of Vaukavysk entrepreneur.

Lawyer Tamara Sidarenka who defends Uladzimir Asipenka says that now they are studying the materials of the case.

“We are sitting and reading. We haven’t finished. We have read a half. We hope tat by the end of the week we will read everything and will have a full image. So far studying the documents my client is sniffing in disapproval and saying “That’s ridiculous!”, Tamara Sidarenka said.

Autukhovich - Asipenka case on preparation of a terrorist attack against high-ranking officials and damaging property has 17 volumes of documents. Vaukavysk businessmen do not plead guilty.

As charter97.org website previously informed, Vaukavysk-based businessmen Mikalai Autukhovich, Yury Lyavonau, and Uladzimir Asipenka were detained 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. On September 24, he was cleared from all charges.

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.