Amnesty International: Sannikov in danger of being tortured

Amnesty International, a human rights organization, is concerned by the fact that the presidential candidate is kept in complete isolation.

There is a serious risk of torture and other ways of cruel treatment, human rights activists believe. Andrei Sannikov, a presidential candidate, was sentenced to 5 years’ imprisonment on May 14. During the trial he openly stated that torture was used against him in the KGB remand prison. And the KGB chairman Vadzim Zaitsau (Vadim Zaitsev) was personally blackmailing him, speaking about his family and threatening health and lives of his wife and son.

On May 17 Andrei Sannikov’s wife and his mother received permission for a meeting with him, however on May 18 they were denied a meeting in the KGB jail. Neither the lawyer nor the family members have access to Andrei Sannikov.

Amnesty International calls upon people to send letters to the KGB Chairman Zaitsau, Prosecutor General Vasilevich, and also copies to the court of Partizanski district of Minsk and diplomatic missions. In the letters the human rights organization offers to demand the authorities to let Sannikov meet with his family and lawyer; and for torture and other kinds of cruel treatment used against him; to remind that Andrei Sannikov is a prisoner of conscience, and he must be released immediately and unconditionally.