29 people on solidarity hunger strike to support political prisoners in Belarus

Political prisoner Mikalai Autukhovich has been on hunger strike for 26 days in the pre-trial detention center protesting against unlawful arrest. New opposition activists join the hunger strike every day to express their solidarity with him.

State of health of Vaukavysk entrepreneur Mikalai Autukhovich, who is on hunger strike, has deteriorated, lawyer Pavel Sapelka told.

According to him, Autukhovich is still in a medical unit of pre-trial detention center #1 in Valadarski Street in Minsk. “He feels very badly. His analyses are bad. He has problems with liver,” Sapelka said.

The lawyer noted Autukhovich was going to continue his hunger strike till the end. No investigative operations involving the businessman from Vaukavysk are being carried out, he added.

“Young Front” activist Kasya Salauyova went on hunger strike to show solidarity with political prisoners on May 11. The girl joined six “Young Front” activists who are on hunger strike in the BPF headquarters.

“When I was in a difficult situation, my friends supported me and helped me. So why can’t I do the minimum for a person who is in a difficult situation too, express my solidarity with him, sacrifice a part of myself?” Kasya Salauyova thinks.

“Young Front” activists from Gniezno (Poland), participants of Kalinouski education program, Yaraslau Hryshchenya and Artsyom Lastavetski, as well as 16-year old activist from Minsk Darya Latushkina join the hungers strike on May 9.

As it became known, public activist from Brest Natallya Kastsyuchyk has been on hunger strike since May 7.

“I can’t be indifferent when people having the same views as I have are in this terrible situation, behind the bars. I hope our solidarity will help to release them,” the democratic activists comments on her decision.

On May 4, a number of political and public figures of Belarus declared themselves on indefinite hunger strike to support the detained entrepreneurs from Vaukavysk, who are kept in the Minsk pre-trial detention center #1. Among the participants of the strike are former presidential candidate Alyaksandr Kazulin, leader of the BPF party Lyavon Barshcheuski, former political prisoners Andrei Kim, Mikalai Statkevich, Syarhei Skrabets, Artsyom Dubski, leader of the coordinative council of entrepreneurs Alyaksandr Makaeu, “Young Front” activists Anastasiya Palazhanka, Mikola Dzyamidzenka, and others.

The participants of the hunger strike demand to free arrested entrepreneurs’ leaders Mikalai Autukhovich, Yury Lavonau, and Uladzimir Asipenka from charges, release them immediately, rehabilitate all political prisoners in the country, and stop persecuting people on political motives.

Street rallies of solidarity are organized in Minsk and other Belarusian towns every day.