Mikalai Autukhovich’s mother: “They need him dead, we need him alive”

Political prisoner Mikalai Autukhovich has been on hunger strike for the third month in prison. His mother waits for her son every day.

Liliya Autukhovich, mother of the political prisoner, told in an interview to Regiony.by about the case against her son.

– Ms Liliya, do you have a good son?

– He is very good. But what does this country make with the good people? (Crying). I don’t understand why he was allowed to work if he violated something. You know, many people thank him for his work. What is his guilt? Is he guilty of being good? He wanted the people to work with dignity, he wanted them to respect themselves.

– I understand...

– He hasn’t seen anything in life. Studies, work, army... Now prison. Did those who keep him in prison send their children to Afghanistan? Have they been there? He was thrown o prison, he is on hungry strike. Why are they suffocating him? They are not people, even animals can’t be treated like that. He returned alive from Afghanistan, but here he is like in captivity. Is he an enemy of the people? if he is an enemy, what did he do wrong? Every investigator will say he is an enemy after a week of starvation. He has been defending the truth for three month, that’s why he is alive. (Crying)

– We haven’t found you for so long.

– I run away not to be alone. Every day I wait for my son to phone me. I run to open the door with every rustle, I think it is he. I beg you son to return here alive. We’ll hug and warm you up. Please, try to convince him they need him dead but we need him alive. Kolya, take care of yourself, your health, hold on. I’d like to d all possible to help you, but the untruth doesn’t let me t go to you.

Activists of the entrepreneurs’ movement Autukhovich, Lyavonau, and Asipenka were detained on February 8, 2009. They are in pre-trial detention facility #1 in Minsk now. On February 18, they were charged under article 218 of the Criminal Code (intentional damage to or destruction of property of citizens). It became known on June 23 that Autukhovich is suspected in committing a crime provided for part 3 of article 295 of the Criminal Code of Belarus (illegal arms and armament dealing).

Autukhovich has been on hunger strike since April 16 demanding to send his case to court as soon as possible or to change the measure of restraint for all persons in this case from custody to release on own recognizance. The prisoner has lost 30 kilograms of weight for this period.

Belarusian 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.