New criminal case against Mikalai Autukhovich

The political prisoner has been on protest hunger strike for 70 days in a Minsk prison.

On June 23, Mikalai Autukhovichmet with lawyer Pavel Sapelka in the pre-trial detention center #1 of the city militia department of the Minsk city executive committee.

“He holds on, he is very weak, he continues the hunger strike, but he was able to walk,” Pavel Sapelka told Radio Svaboda about health of Mikalai Autukhovich.

The entrepreneur from Vaukavysk has been on hunger strike for 70 days. The lawyer doesn’t know if Autukhovich undergoes IV therapy. The entrepreneur protests against criminal prosecution finding it unlawful. He is accused of arson of a militiaman’s house, though the people guilty have been serving the sentence. Pavel Sapelka said Autukhovich had recently learnt he was a suspected in another criminal case related to illegal arms dealing.

“He is suspected of committing a crime provided for part 3 of article 295 of the Criminal Code of Belarus – illegal arms and armament dealing,” the lawyer says.

This article provides for 8 years in prison. According to the lawyer, the cases, in which Autukhovich is allegedly involved, were consolidated:

“As I understand, the both cases are consolidated, and Mikalai Autukhovich is considered to be arrested by the main investigation department of the Ministry of Internal Affairs,” the lawyer said.

The lawyer also told the name of a new investigator – Klachko. The case was previously investigated by Kukharonak from Hrodna. The lawyer explained new charges weren’t presented to Autukhovich, his client is suspected.

Leaders of entrepreneurs from Vaukavysk Mikalai Autukhovich, Yury Lyavonau, and Uladzimir Asipenka were detained on February 8, 2009. Human rights activists consider the detainees to be political prisoners, drawing attention to the fact Autukhovich and Lyavonau were convicted before and recognized prisoners of conscience by the international community. Mikalai Autukhovich has been on indefinite hunger strike since April 16.