Vasily Parfiankou forcefully sent to occupational therapy centre for a year

A former political prisoner was transferred from a detention facility to an occupational therapy centre.

As charter97.org learnt, Vasily Parfiankou was to be released from the detention centre at noon tomorrow. He and Uladzimir Yaromenak were sentenced to five days in custody. Detention officers refused to accept a parcel for Vasily. Vasily was taken to Minsk's Pershamaiski district police station and then to the occupational therapy centre, human rights activists say. The information was not confirmed officially, but a policeman on duty told human rights activist Anastasia Loika the information was precise.

Vasily Parfiankou and Uladzimir Yaromenak faced criminal prosecution for “violation of the rules of preventive supervision”. Yaromenak was given 3 months in custody. He will serve his sentence after his appeal is heard. A criminal case against Parfuankou was initiated earlier, but it hasn't been sent to a court yet. The authorities probably decided not to sentence him to 6 months in jail (the maximum punishment in the case) and forcefully sent him to an occupational therapy centre for a year.