Political prisoner Dziadok to stand trial on February 25

Mikalai Dziadok may be sentenced to an additional year in prison.

The date for a new trial against the political prisoner has been set today. The closed-door trial will be held in prison No. 4 in Mahilou on February 25, statkevich.org learnt from Mikalai Dziadok's wife Valeria Khotsina.

The trial will be conducted by a judge of the Leninski district court of Mahilou.

Anarchist Mikalai Dziadok was sentenced to 4.5 years in a medium security correctional facility for attacking administrative buildings. The activist didn't admit his guilt and refused to apply for a pardon.

He was recognised a political prisoner by international human rights organisations.

In late May 2012, Mikalai Dziadok was transferred to a cell-type facility for six months by the decision of the chief of the Shklou-based correctional facility No. 17. The prison authorities tried to make him apply for a pardon several times. The activist got more than 10 sanctions for far-fetched violations when being in correctional facility No. 15 in Mahilou and correctional facility No. 17 in Shklou. He was not amnestied for that reason.

It became known on 4 December 2012 that a special commission took a decision to transfer Dziadok to a prison for numerous (22) “violations of the rules”.

A new criminal case was opened against Mikalai Dziadok in November 2014, three months before the end of his term. He is charged with violating prison rules (article 411) and may face one year of imprisonment.

The investigation took two months. A prosecutor then returned the case for further investigation that took one more month.

Mikalai Dziasok was to be released on March 3.