Lawyer Pavel Sapelka: "Charges against Autukhovich absolutely cardboard"

Lawyers of the political prisoners sentenced to deprivation of liberty state that their clients must be released, and plan to struggle for justice.

After the Supreme Court pronounced sentences in the case of Mikalai Autukhovich and Uladzimir Asipenka, their lawyers made a statement.

As it is known, charges of a terrorist attack preparation and arson of officials' property against Autukhovich and Asipenka have been dissmised. Despite of that, Judge Alyaksei Tsyatsykhin found Mikalai Autukhovich guilty of illegal actions related to firearms, ammunition and explosives (Artcile 295 Part 3 of theCriminal Code). It is known that Autukhovich kept just 5 cartridges at home.

Autukhovich's lawyer paval Sapelka named the decision of the Supreme Court biased. He said that in an interview to charter97.org website.

"Autukhovich was found guilty of illegal actions related to firearms. Not only these 5 cartridges are meant there. It concerns all the firearms which was carried by Laryn around towns and cities (one of the accused, a former employee of Autukhovich's firm - a note by charter97.org)," - the lawyer explained.

As said by Sapelka, he is set to demand Autukhovich;'s release.

"Those who understand pecularities of the Belarusain judicial system, should make a profound bow to it. But in actual fact, Autukhovich is to be at large. The charge is absolutely far-fetched. It is based on testimony of only one person, Laryn, who had been found out in a lie many times. And even the court found him out in a lie. So an absolutely innocent person cannot be accused basing upon testimony of Laryn alone," the lawyer said.

Pavel Sapelka stated that he will challenge the sentences of the Supreme Court in review procedures and address the deputy chairman of the Supreme Court.

We remind that Mikalai Autukhovich, arrested in February 2009, has been sentenced to 5.2 years of deprivation of liberty in a maximum security penal colony, Uladizmir Asipenka to 3 years in a standard regime penal colony.

They have been freed from a number of charges -- in preparation of a terrorist attack against the former chairman of Grodna regional executive committee Uladzimir Sauchanka, in an attempt upon the former deputy Taxes and Charges Minister Vasil Kamenka. Only observation with the aim of finding damaging information was proved. The court admitted that the political prisoners haven't committed socially dangerous acts. The charges concerning arson of the former head of the Interior Affairs Directorate of Vaukavysk Syarhei Katsuba in 2004 have been dismissed as well.