Alyaksandr Kazulin: “Show trial over Autukhovich is being prepared”

A politician and former political prisoner Alyaksandr Kazulin has stated that the authorities are continuing to intimidate the society by methods of force.

As said by Alyaksandr Kazulin, today a “show trial” is being prepared over an entrepreneur from Vaukavysk Mikalai Autukhovich, who has been recognized as a prisoner of conscience, the European Radio for Belarus informs.

“Now, when a law is being prepared to be adopted, under which arrests of people are to be made without a sanction of procurator, and at the same time such a show trial over Autukhovich is being prepared. It is clear that the authorities plan to solve social and economic problems by methods of force, and are trying to intimidate the society,” Alyaksandr Kazulin says.

The former political prisoner notes that the international community is to pay attention to the case of the entrepreneurs from Vaukavysk.

“I am interested to know why the case of Autukhovich does not get so much attention as it deserves,” Alyaksandr Kazulin states. “And particularly now that he is charged with state terrorism, which is the first occasion in our country! It is clear that such a show trial is being prepared when he won’t be sentenced to less than 10 years. And there are simply no grounds for that”.

Entrepreneurs from Vaukavysk Mikalai Autukhovich, Yury Lyavonau and Uladzimir Asipenka were detained in Vaukavysk on February 8 and guarded to pre-trial detention center #1 in Minsk. On February 18, the entrepreneurs were charged under article 218 of the Criminal Code (intentional damage to or destruction of property of citizens). On June 23, a criminal case under article 359 of the Criminal Code (a terroristic act) in the form of preparation (article 13) was instigated against Autukhovich and “other persons”, the Ministry of Internal Affairs reported.

Political prisoner Mikalai Autukhovich was on hunger strike from April 16 to June 16 demanding to send his case to court or change a measure of restraint for him and other people involved in the case from custody to release on own recognition.

Lyavonau was released from the pre-trial detention office in Minsk on his own recognition on August 8. Asipenka and Autukhovich are still in custody.

Human rights activists consider the detained to be political prisoners drawing attention to the fact that Autukhovich and Lyavonau were convicted before and recognized prisoners of conscience by the international community.