Alena Autukhovich: “Revenge taken against my husband for his political position”

Family members of the arrested businessman Mikalay Autukhovich and Yury Lyavonau believe that the charges against him are far-fetched and groundless.

As we have informed, today Mikalay Autukhovich has been accused under Article 218 Part 3 of the Criminal Code “Intentional destruction or damage to property of citizens, committed by an organized group, or which caused manslaughter or other grave consequences, or which caused damage on a large scale”. The businessman faces from 7 to 12 years of imprisonment.

Yury Lyavonau and Uladzimir Asipenka are accused under Article 218 Part 2 of the Criminal Code “Intentional destruction or damage to property of citizens, committed in a generally dangerous way or which caused damage on a large scale”. The businessmen face restriction of freedom for a term up to 5 years, or imprisonment from 3 to 10 years.

According to the officially announced version, Mikalay Autukhovich, Y Lyavonau and Uladzimir Asipenka are suspected of arson of the former chief of Vaukavysk district police department and a garage of a tax inspection worker which took place in 2004-2005. However, the victims of arsons do not have any claims to businessmen, as the culprits in these crimes were punished long ago, and they are serving the sentence already.

“It is simply impossible,” stated Yury Lyavonau’s wife, Yauheniya, to the Charter’97 press-centre, having heard the charges against him.

“I know only one thing: my husband is no ways to blame. It is not true at all, and culprits of those arsons are already serving the sentence,” she said crying.

Alena Autukhovich, Mikalay Autukhovich’s wife, supposes that revenge is taken against her husband for his political activities.

“I do not know for what, as all these accusations are far-fetched. I believe that in this way the authorities are taking revenge against my husband for his political position. For what else could they revenge?” Alena Autukhovich asks.

It should be noted that Mikalai Autukhovich and Yury Lyavonau are former political prisoners, sentenced to imprisonment on a far-fetched accusation for defense of the rights of entrepreneurs. In the beginning of 2008, measure of punishment was changed for them to restriction of liberty. On February 10, 2009 a hearing on early conditional release of Mikalay Autukhovich was to take place in Vaukavysk.