Zmitser Dashkevich: We will fight for release of Artsyom Dubski

“Young Front” activists have launched a campaign for release of political prisoner Artsyom Dubski.

A court in Asipovichy sentenced a participant of the Process of Fourteen to a year of imprisonment for violation of the rules of serving the sentence. The “Young Front” leader Zmitser Dashkevich in an interview to Radio Svaboda said that Artsyom Dubski’s associates will use all means in order to make the authorities release the political prisoner.

“The campaign is to include distribution of informational materials about Artsyom and about the Process of Fourteen, unfortunately, some people have forgotten about it already,” Zmitser Dashkevich said. “We will paste Artsyom Dubski’s portraits and hold street rallies in different forms. We will demand unconditional and quick release of our friend. We have a hope he would be released. Besides, all persons that appear in the Process of Fourteen have been recognized prisoners of conscience”.

Artsyom Dubski was sentenced to 2 years of restriction of freedom in the Process of Fourteen. Another case was opened against him while he served the sentence. It was opened for use of a SIM-card of another person to access the web. When policemen drew two reports for not finding Dubski at home during their check, they started to threaten by a third criminal case to him.

At the court the mother of the political prisoner Alena Dubskaya didn’t expect her son to be arrested in the court room. Their meeting is to take place in a remand prison of Babrujsk one of these days. Artsyom is to be taken there on July 10.

The leader of the United Civil Party Anatol Lyabedzka believes that rallies of solidarity with political prisoners serve as a moral support for them.

“When people are behind the bars and do not feel the beat of life and understand that they are left alone with prison administration, it is very hard for them psychologically,” the UCP leader said. The Belarusian authorities have added to their armoury the tactics military groupings in Chechnya and Ingushetia use, when they take hostages and then demand ransom, solving their problems in this way: they buy weapons, food. The Belarusian authorities do the same. They use human beings as objects for achieving their aims”.

According to the ruling of the court, half a year of deprivation of freedom is to be replaced by the term of punishment which Artsyom Dubski is to service under the Process of Fourteen. Artsyom Dubski is to serve the year of deprivation of freedom in the standard regime penal colony.

It should be noted that minor Maxim Dashuk, involved in the Process of Fourteen, was punished by adding two days to his previous term. Thus Artsyom Dubski is the only person who appeared in the Process of Fourteen who was thrown behind the bars.

Amnesty International human rights watchdog recognized the participants of the Process of 14 Prisoners of Conscience in 2009.