Statkevich doesn't hope for early release

Former presidential candidate Mikalai Statkevich does not hope for early release from prison.

He wrote it in a letter to journalist Barys Vyrvich, who received it on March 24, the human rights website spring96.org reports.

Statkevich's jail term expires in December 2016. It became known on March 25 that the Interior Ministry and the Prosecutor General's Office of Belarus proposed an amnesty in 2015 on the occasion of the 70th anniversary of the victory in the Great Patriotic War. The relative document is expected to be submitted to the parliament until April 16.

Statkevich writes in the letter that he began to receive independent newspapers since the beginning of March.

The imprisoned politician thinks that democratic forces of Belarus should unite at least to “restore their positions in the political arena”. “It's hard to expect much from the upcoming [election] campaign in the current foreign political conditions,” Statkevich writes.

Statkevich's wife Maryna Adamovich writes on Facebook that he sent his third complaint to the Prosecutor General's Office on March 24 and “thinks that his mission to officially record what was and is going on correctional facility No.17 in Shklou is accomplished”.

“He also thinks that his second goal – to ignore provocations and make the prison administration to impose obviously illegal sanctions – is achieved, too. He regards the two-month 'respite' in the fresh air after three years of prison as luxury and a gift to give him strength to stay firm and continue his struggle,” Maryna Adamovich wrote.