Parfiankou given 1 year in maximum security prison

Former political prisoner Vasily Parfiankou was found guilty of “violating the rules of preventive supervision”.

The court of Minsk's Pershamaiski district heard the case of former political prisoner Vasily Parfiankou. He was accused of violating the rules of preventive supervision (article 421 of the Criminal Code). The trial was to be held on November 28, but judge Leanid Yarmolenkau had to postpone it, because Parfiankou didn't receive a summons to the court on time. He was to receive the document five days before the trial, but he was informed about the court hearing only a day before.

The defendant was escorted to the court, because he had been sentenced to a term in special medical and labour centre No. 1 in Svetlahorsk (the Homel region), BelaPAN news agency reports.

He said before the previous trial that he was ready for a guilty verdict and a possibility to get another prison term.

Parfiankou refused to give evidence at the trial, because he thinks the aim of the trial is to isolate him for his active citizenship.

In 2011, Parfiankou was given four years in prison in the case of mass disorders of December 19, 2010. He was pardoned by Lukashenka in August 2011. The former political prisoner faced prosecution from the authorities.

In September 2013, Vasily Parfiankou and another former political prisoner, Uladzimir Yaromenak, were sentenced to 5 days in custody for violating the rules of preventive supervision (article 24.12 of the Code of Administrative Offences). Both were to be released on September 21, but only Yaromenak left the detention centre. Parfianok was taken to the medical and labour centre for a year.

Human rights defenders regard prosecution of the former political prisoner as revenge of the authorities and an attempt of pressing on activists.