Aleh Vouchak: Another Political Prisoner Appears In Belarus

The sentence on forcible sending of a 80-year-old person with disability Aliaksandr Lapitski to the “madhouse” came into force.

On September 23, Minsk city court declined an appeal against the sentence to 80-year-old man with disability Aliaksandr Lapitski. The sentence on forcible sending of a 80-year-old person with disability to the “madhouse” came into force, informs the website belprauda.org.

“Another political prisoner appeared in Belarus — Aliaksandr Lapitski,” — Chairman of the human rights center “Legal assistance to Population” Aleh Vouchak summarized.

On April 11, the Frunzenski district court of Minsk started consideration of a criminal case on charging the 80-year-old Minsk resident Aliaksandr Lapitski under three articles of the Criminal Code: Article 391, 369, and Part 1 Article 368. Presuming the charges are true, the elderly Minsker insulted judges of Minsk city court Ramasheuskaya O.V., Zhulkouskaya T.V., Prudnikava E.M., judge of the Frunzenski district court of Minsk Tsiareshchanka V.V., prosecutor of Minsk city public prosecution department Haidai L.V., Chief prosecutor of Minsk city public prosecution department Pastayalka D.V., Prosecutor General of the Republic of Belarus Kaniuk A.V., and Lukashenka.

On April 12, the court of the Frunzenski district of Minsk found 79-year-old Minsker Aliaksandr Lapitski (the man turned 80 on May 12) the person who committed "socially dangerous acts, expressed in insulting the president, the humiliation of honor and dignity of the prosecutors and judges" and sent him to compulsory treatment in a mental asylum.

On June 3, Minsk city court considered the appeal against the decision of the Frunzenski district court of Minsk.

Lapitski’s lawyers proved that the resolution on compulsory treatment was illegal and groundless, claiming that the court’s conclusions were not based on acceptable evidence.

In particular, they questioned the psychiatric examination, which took place in violation of the procedure of both examination and diagnosis. The conclusions made by the psychiatric experts contradicted the materials of the case and the state of health. Lapitski never suffered from mental illness, and suddenly he was sent for hospital treatment in the "Navinki".

Minsk city court forwarded the case for reconsideration to the Frunzenski district court of Minsk.

The new consideration of the criminal case started in the Frunzenski district court of Minsk in early July. On July 12, judge of the Frunzenski district court of Minsk Aliaksandr Lukashevich declared that the pensioner had insulted the judges, prosecutors and senior officials of Belarus, thus committing a socially dangerous act, and resolved to send the old man to mental hospital for compulsory treatment.

Aliaksandr Lapitski’s lawyer filed a private complaint with the Board of Appeals on criminal cases of Minsk City court.

However, the appeal was denied today. This means that within a month the pensioner may be forcibly sent to a psychiatric hospital.