Fireworks for Mikalaj Statkievich (Video)

The politician’s birthday was celebrated with fireworks at the prison walls.

They were launched in the evening on 12 August. The fireworks near the Mahilou prioson No 4 building, where Mikalaj Statkievich is at the moment, were launched by unidentified activists, Radio Svaboda reports.

Mikalaj Statkievich was born on 12 August 1956 in the village of Ladna of the Slutsk district, Minsk region. He graduated from the Higher Engineering Anti-Aircraft and Missile college of the Air-Defense Forces. He defended a doctoral dissertation and taught at the college. He has a scientific degree in technical sciences, a retired lieutenant colonel. On 20 August 2991 he publicly spoke against the putsch in Moscow. At the same time he announced the creation of a Belarusian Union of Servicemen.

Mikalaj Statkievich was one of the presidential candidates in 2010 elections. He was arrested after a mass protest manifestation against the rigged elections results on 19 December 2010. Over 700 protesters got arrested then, including candidates for president Andrei Sannikov, Uladzimir Niaklajeu, Ales Michlevic and their team members.

On26 May 2011 the politician was sentenced by the court of Minsk Partisan district to 6 years of imprisonment in a high security prison. In 2012 the imprisonment conditions have been toughened – he has been transferred from the penal colony number 17 in Shklou to the prison number 4 in Mahilou.