Valyantsin Stefanovich: Belarusian authorities do not want to move towards EU

Belarusian authorities do not release political prisoners, which is evidence that they do not want to move towards the EU.

Валентин Стефанович: Белорусские власти не хотят делать шаги навстречу ЕС

It was said to journalists in Mahilyou on April 30 by the deputy chairman of the human rights centre “Viasna” Valyantsin Stefanovich, after a cassation appeal of Mikalai Dzyadok was declined, BelaPAN informs.

Today the cassation board of Mahilyou regional court upheld the verdict to political prisoner Mikalai Dzyadok, according to which he is sentenced to one more year on charges relating malicious insubordination to administration of the penal institution.

As said by Stefanovich, the situation with Mikalai Dzyadok, as well as the new criminal case against Yury Rubtsou, show disinclination of Belarusian authorities to move closer to the European Union. Another proof is the fact that on May 4 the case of Mikalai Statkevich related to the type of serving the sentence is to be reviewed.

He also called it a malpractice to apply Article 411 of the Criminal Code, under which one more year was added to Dzyadok’s term, as it is an anachronism from Soviet times, which remains only in criminal laws of former republics: Belarus, Uzbekistan and Kazakhstan.

"We believe this article should be decriminalized. Actions of a person who wears a T-shirt, but is not allowed to wear a T-shirt, are just disciplinary violations, they cannon entail criminal responsibility”, he stressed.

Mother of Mikalai Dzyadok is also disappointed by the decision of the regional court. "In today’s hearing of the case I have noticed a specific intent. It is intent to do away with clearheaded people. The violations which were mentioned – “had a T-shirt on” – are laughable, as all prisoners are dressed this way. So they had an intent not to release him", —Valyantsina Dzyadok said to journalists.

However, as said by her, even in this situation she found a reason to praise her son. "I liked the statement he had written there. He is growing, developing, and he is already a first-rate lawyer. And experts like this are kept in prison", the mother of the political prisoner said.

There was also a representative of the European Union in the courtroom, however he denied comment to journalists.

We remind that Mikalai Dzyadok, as well as Ihar Alinevich and Alyaksandr Frantskevich were sentenced to 3 years’ term by the court of Zavadski district of Minsk on May 27, 2011. They were charged under Article 339 Part 2 of the Criminal Code of Belarus (malicious hooliganism) and Article 218 Parts 2 and 3 (willful destruction or injuring of property). They were incriminated in a number of buildings’ attacks and arsons, particularly the organization of unauthorized antimilitary action next to the Ministry of Defense in 2009, throwing Molotov cocktails at the Russian Embassy and the building of the detention centre in Akhrestsina Street in Minsk in 2010.

On December 5, 2012 by a ruling of the court the incarceration conditions for Dzyadok were harshened, and he was transferred from the colony №17 of Shklou to the colony №4 in Mahilyou.

Human rights activists treat imposed sentence to Dzyadok and other imprisoned as politically motivated and also consider Mikalai Dzyadok a political prisoner.