Sannikov to be sent to Vitsebsk region again?

Andrei Sannikov, a 2010 presidential candidate, has been transferred to a penal colony in the Vitsebsk region.

His wife Iryna Khalip learnt this from acting chief of the Corrections Department, Syarhei Pratsenka.

“It was Pratesnka who explained to me several weeks ago why Sannikov had been transferred to Babruisk. He said it would be better for him there. Now he says Sannikov has been transferred from Babruisk colony Nr 2 to the Vitsebsk region due to danger to his life and health. Pratsenka did not say in what colony Sannikov was sent,” Kahlip told journalists.

Pratsenka says Sannikov will be transferred via a prison in Mahilou again (he was transferred via this prison from Navapolatsk to Babruisk in late September), BelaPAN news agency reports.

Khalip also said she received information last week that Sannikov was allowed to lie on bed during daytime due to problems with health, though it is not usually permitted. Khalip asked Pratsenka if Sannikov had been examined by doctors to find out if he could survive another transfer. Pratsenka could not give an answer.

As for location of Sannikov, Pratsenka suggested the lawyer should figure out his location himself.

There are five penal colonies in the Vitsebsk region: Nr 8 and 12 in Orsha, Nr 3 near Vitsebsk, Nr 10 in Navapolatsk and Nr 3 in Hlubokaye.

Information about absence of Sannikov in the Babruisk penal colony was spread in the morning of November 16. A lawyer was to visit Sannikov in Babruisk, but he was told in the colony that Sannikov had been transferred. The lawyer was not informed, why, where to and when he had been sent.

Khalip went to the Corrections department to figure out location of her husband, but she was denied seeing department officers and recommended to come again in Friday, a visiting day.

Khalip filed an appeal to Pratsenka demanding to say urgently where her husband was, allow him access to his lawyer and stop mistreatment. The politician’s wife was invited for a talk.

Before Khalip filed an appealshe was called on journalists to come to the Corrections Department. She was warned that if too many people came, it would be regarded as an unauthorized action. After journalists arrived, plainclothes policemen, among them police chief for public security Ihar Yauseyeu, appeared. No accidents were noticed.