Political soldier Andrei Tsyanyuta thrown into military jail

Young Front activist Andrei Tsyanyuta serving in the airborne troops in Vitsebsk has been punished for violation of the service rules.

Radio Svaboda learnt this from Young Front’s leader Zmitser Dashkevich. He told Tsyanyuta had received threats of beating earlier if he didn’t refuse to speak Belarusian and express his active citizenship

It is unknown for how long Tyanyuta has to remain under arrest. The concrete phrasing of the arrest order is also unknown.

We remind that Tsyanyuta was found unfit for the military service by medical board due to flat-foot and scoliosis. The military enlistment office sent the activist to a new medical examination. The regional clinical hospital said he can serve in the army.

Andrei Tsyanyuta received fines and administrative arrests for his political activity. He and other youth activists held hunger strike of solidarity with political prisoners Mikalai Autukhovich, Yury Lyavonau, and Uladzimir Asipenka in May 2009.

It should be noted that the so called political draft was launched against Belarusian youth activists in 2008.