Zmitser Dashkevich sentenced to one more year in penal colony

A closed-door trial over imprisoned Young Front leader was held in a penal colony in Hlybokaye.

“For now, only the sentence is known – a year in a penal colony. The new sentence covers the remaining four months of his current prison term. So, he is supposed to be released not earlier than August 28, 2013, if he does not have any problems. Prison staff was surprised to hear such a severe court decision. The court could have added 6 or 3 months of imprisonment taking into account that Zmitser had spent 6 months in a cell-type facility. A lawyer figures out details, but it's already known Zmitser will be transferred to Vitebsk at night. The lawyer tries to learn if he could appeal against the sentence,” Anastasia Palazhanka, the fiancee of the political prisoner, told Radio Svaboda.

We remind a new criminal case was initiated against Zmitser Dashkeivch on accusation of “repeated failure to obey prison authorities”.

About 40 witnesses – policemen and inmates – were involved in Dashkevich's case. The Young Front leader rejected defence saying the trial was illegal.

Young Front activists Zmitser Dashkevich and Eduard Lobau were detained on December 18, 2010, a day before the presidential eleciton. They were charged with beating two Minsk dwellers. Dashkevich was sentenced to 2 years in a minimum security penal colony. His term was to expire in five months, but the new criminal case was initiated against him.