Aleh Vouchak Former governor of Hrodna region absent from court. He went missing

During the first trial over Vaukavysk businessmen, the main “victim” of the crime, ex-governor of Hrodna region Sauchanka was absent on the court room.

Absence of the former governor of Hrodna regional executive committee Uladzimir Sauchanka, who was dismissed about a month before the trial over political prisoners started, looked strange, to put it mildly. Many those who were present in the court room of the Supreme Court decided that as long as there is no evidence of Mikalai Autukhovich and Uladzimir Asipenka’s guilt, the authorities simply decided not pass word to the main person involved in the case.

We remind that Vaukavysk businessmen are charged with preparation for neutralization of the chairman of Hrodna executive committee Sauchanka and a deputy Minister of Taxes of Belarus Vasily Kamenka.

A human rights activist Aleh Vouchak comments to charter97.org on Uladzimir Sauchanka’s absence in the court room:

“Today on the first day of hearings many representatives of Belarusian business, foreign embassies and journalists have come. Unfortunately, not all journalists managed to enter the court room. Representatives of the Supreme Court explained that by absence of free seats, though people inside could have made room. When the trial started, judge read out names of the accused and injured. All accused were present. And the former governor of Hrodna region Uladzimir Sauchanka was absent among the injured party. Absence of such an important person involved in the case seems very strange. Even deputy minister on Taxes and Duties Kamenka, who is very busy, was in the court. And what prevented the presently unemployed dismissed Sauchanka from coming to the session of the court?” Aleh Vouchak noted.

As said by the human rights activist, the judge hadn’t taken pains to find out the whereabouts of the former chairman of Hrodna regional executive committee.

“In such cases the court usually gives the court secretary an order to call to the injured party and find out his whereabouts. However that hasn’t been done. Most likely, the court decided simply to hush up this affair,” Vouchak said.

According to the human rights activist’s knowledge, absence of the main person involved in the case could be explained by his… disappearance.

“We have received information that today a group of support from Vaukavysk has arrived to Minsk today. And they told us that Sauchanka had disappeared. He disappeared in the same way as the former commander of Hrodna police Henadz Khatsko. It is strange that such high-ranking officials are disappearing,” Aleh Vouchak said.

As the human rights activist believes, the trial in the case of political prisoners is to be dragged on.

“The court will try to temporize, to decrease public interest to the case. Even now, during the first day general tension was felt. The tension was obvious even in prosecutor’s denying Autukhovich’s motions,” the human rights activist emphasized.

We remind that the first trial in the case of 10 political prisoners lasted for 2 hours only. Finally the session was rescheduled for March 16.

During the proceedings all Autukhovich’s motions were denied, except the motion for additional studying of the materials of his criminal case.