Congratulate Mikalai Autukhovich with 50-year jubilee

The political prisoner celebrates his 50-year jubilee on 7 January.

Mikalai Autukhovich is a veteran of the war in Afghanistan, successful entrepreneur and democratic activist from Vaukavysk, imprisoned for his anti-corruption activities.

Mikalai Autukhovich was born on 7 January 1963 in Vaukavysk. In 1981 he started serving in the army in the Saratov oblast in Russia, as a driver in the strategic rocket forces. Later he finished the school of ensigns and volunteered to serve in Afghanistan. He was awarded with the "Red Star" order and the medals "For Courage" and "For Service in Battle" for guarding the bridge near Kandahar and participation in other military operations. In 1991 he left the army with the rank of senior ensign and started a business.

At first Mikalai Autukhovich was arrested in October 2005.

Mikalai Autukhovich was arrested for the first time in October 2005 and sentenced to 3.5 years of imprisonment on charges in tax evasion. He was one of the six political prisoners released as a result of the US and the EU sanctions.

Mr. Autukhovich was arrested again on 8 February 2009. On 6 May 2009 he was sentenced to 5 years and 2 months in a high-security prison by the Supreme Court under Article 295, part 3 of the Criminal Code (unlawful actions with firearms, ammunition and explosives).

On 17 January 2012 the conditions of his imprisonment were toughened by a court ruling, as a result of which he was transferred from the Ivatsevichy colony #5 to the cell-type prison #1 in Hrodna.

You can write a letter to the prisoner on the following address:

Kirau Street, 1, prison No. 1

230023, Hrodna

For Mikalai Mikalayevich Autukhovich