Political prisoner Dziadok tried behind closed doors

Mikalai Dziadok was to be released on March 3, 2015, after the expiration of his prison term.

Political prisoner Dziadok stands trial in the Mahilou prison No.4 on February 25.

According to BelaPAN, the trial is held behind closed doors.

Mikalai Dziadok's wife Valeria Khotsina told journalists that her husband is charged with committing gross violations of prison rules (article 411 of the Criminal Code). Dziadok's family thinks he will remain in prison for one more year. Valeria Khotsina supposes the authorities fear to release Dziadok ahead of the presidential elections. She thinks they just want to reduce risks, because the Belarusian anarchist movement lack the person “who could lead others”.

Dziadok is charged with violating prison rules for more than 20 times since 2012. His main violation was that he put on a tracksuit instead of his prison uniform.

According to Mikalai's wife, he will be transfered from the Mahilou prison to another correctional facility after the trial.

Only the lawyer was allowed to attend the trial. Dziadok's relatives were not allowed to be present at the hearing.

Mikalai Dziadok was arrested on September 3, 2010. On May 27, 2011, Minsk's Zavadski district court sentenced him to 4.5 years in a high security correctional facility for hooliganism (part 2 of article 339 of the Criminal Code). On December 5, 2012, confinement conditions for Dziadok were strengthened. He was transferred from correctional facility No.17 in Shklou to prison No.4 in Mahilou.

Human rights defenders say the reason for the prosecution was Dziadok's participation in a protest rally near the Ministry of Defence against the joint Russian-Belarusian military exercises.

Dziadok was to be released on March 3, 2015, after the expiration of his prison term.