Zmitser Dashkevich to stand new trial tomorrow

The court of Mozyr is expected to arrive in penal colony on October 30 to hold trial against a political prisoner.

The Young Front leader may receive a more severe sentence, Belsat TV reports.

“The reason is that Zmitser Dashkevich was given a status of persistent violator of prison rules,” Young Front deputy head and Dashkevich's fiancée Anastasia Palazhanka says.

She added the activist should not have been classified as a persistent violator, because he was thrown into a punishment cell and then to a cell-type unit just on arrival in penal colony No. 20 in Mozyr. “Dashkevich will have another painful transfer. He will be sent either to a prison in Zhodzina or to Hrodna,” Anastasia Palazhanka said.

The Young Front leader arrived in the penal colony in Mahilou on September 19. He went on hunger strike two days later due to “inhuman treatment demonstrated by colony administration, including penal colony chief Yeury Zbarouski”. On October 4, Dashkevich terminated his hunger strike after moving to a cell-type unit explaining the attitude of the colony administration towards him had “radically improved”.

Zmitser Dashkevich and Young Front activist Eduard Lobau were detained ahead of the latest presidential elections.

They have been serving sentence on far-fetched accusation of “hooliganism” since December 18, 2010. The real reason for the prison term is their political activity and promoting the ideals of free society and independent Belarus.

Political prisoner Zmitser Dashkevich got a new prison term on August 28 allegedly for failure to obey prison authorities. His sentence was extended by one year.