English

Civil society activist demands immediate release of Awtukhovich, Asipenka, Kazlow

“Political prisoners Awtukhovich, Asipenka and Kazlow should be immediately released,” prominent civil society activist Vyachaslaw Siwchyk told reporters in Minsk on Thursday after the Supreme Court of Belarus handed down its judgment in the case, as quoted by BelaPAN.

Mikalay Awtukhovich, a 47-year-old businessman resident in Vawkavysk, Hrodna region, was sentenced to five years and two months in a medium security correctional institution on a charge of illegal possession of arms, ammunition or explosives. His associate, Uladzimir Asipenka, was sentenced to three years in a minimum security correctional institution on the same charge.

The two other men accused in the case, Alyaksandr Laryn, a former employee of Mr. Awtukhovich’s company, and Mikhail Kazlow, a former senior police officer, were sentenced to three years in a medium-security correctional institution and two years in a minimum security correctional institution, respectively.

“I would like to draw the attention of Belarusian citizens to the fact that they were convicted on the basis of Laryn’s allegations,” Mr. Siwchyk said. “Under pressure from, above all, the international community, the court didn’t dare to convict these patriots of the most serious charges, also based on Laryn’s allegations, and send them to prison for a long time. We demand their immediate release. Stop tormenting them!”