Political prisoner faces 3 more years in prison

Today a trial over Artur Finkevich will start in Mahilyou. He faces three more years of imprisonment for alleged violation of the regime.

Dozens of activists want to express support to their friend. They will come to the building of the court with portraits of Artur Finkevich

A maximum punishment for violation of the regime of serving the sentence in “khimiya” (in a corrective labour facility) is three years of a colony. By the way, Artur was to be released 10 days ago if it were not for this new criminal case.

Before the trial a civil committee of political prisoners’ protection tried to make as many people as possible aware of Artur Finkevich’s case. A member of the committee, the leader of the movement “For Freedom!” Alyaksandr Milinkevich believes that representatives of Western countries’ embassies are to be present at the trial over Artur Finkevich.

“At all meetings with them I and other democratic leaders say what happens with people in prisons, and about the necessity to release them. But the fact that the regime is making with Finkevich’s case, when there are attempts to extend the term, it is a new fact about Belarus unknown to human rights activists in Europe. That is why their attention would be most careful, and I am convinced diplomats will attend the court,” Milinkevich told to Radio Svaboda.

How is Artur Finkevich before the trial? His relatives say that he didn’t complain about the conditions of incarceration or health, he remained cheerful. “He is ready to fight,” an activist Kasya Halitskaya told to Radio Svaboda. She wants to visit Mahilyou to support Artur Finkevich.

Two years ago Artur Finnkevich was arrested and sentenced to restriction of freedom for political graffiti. While serving the sentence the young man was several times punished for violation of the regime. He didn’t agree to these punishments, but hadn’t managed to challenge them.