Paval Sapelka: Amnesty does not apply to political prisoners

The draft law has phrases due to which political prisoners are not included in the amnesty.

Malicious violators of the custodial control rules are not to be included in the amnesty. All political prisoners in Belarus are formally violators of the custodial control rules. One of the main conditions of release is full recovery of damage done, “Viasna” human rights centre’s website writes.

The draft law defines the groups not included in the amnesty. They are criminals convicted for murder or intended grave bodily harm, which caused death; for illegal drugs trafficking; for drunken driving; for rape.

Besides, malicious violators of the order of serving sentences, especially dangerous recidivists, and persons sentenced to life in prison.

According to lawyer Paval Sapelka, the wording about “malicious violators of the of the custodial control rules” is to become a hindrance for release of political prisoners. They all have such a status formally.

This year the 13th amnesty is to take place in Belarus. The draft law of 2014 does not differ from the previous ones significantly. According to calculation of the Interior Affairs Ministry, the amnesty is to concern about 2,100 persons from close-type correctional institutions, about 630 persons from open type institutions, and terms for 600 prisoners from open-type institutions are to be shortened.