Trial over Mikalai Statkevich scheduled for May 4

The former presidential candidate faces a new prison term.

The trial over the political prisoner Mikalai Statkevich was to be held “quietly”, behind the closed doors, and without a lawyer, charter97.org has been told by the wife of the politician, Maryna Adamovich today. However on the request of a lawyer the trial is to be held on May 4 and in his presence. “Mikalai had submitted an application for services of a lawyer immediately after he learnt the case is taken to the court. In his turn, the lawyer also filed two special applications for participation in the court proceedings. And today it suddenly turned out that they had planned to hold the court proceedings today without warning anyone about that. I do not want to comment on that right now, but it is good that the court session has been postponed for May 4, taking into account our requests. I do not know what could have happened, whether the reason is ill will or the administration’s plans as changed, or was it a usual disorderliness and bungling.

The last court which we had in 2012, was an “open” one, according to the phrase in the court decision. That is why, it is to be open, according to formal aspects, and no one knows what is going to happen in reality. Naturally, I would try to be present at the court. There was a precedent of Mikalai Dzyadok’s court, when his family managed to attend the court. Moreover, we haven’t had a meeting with Mikalai for a long time, so it is possible I would see him in the court,” she said. We remind that recently the news were received a new prison term is faced by Mikalai Statkevich. Now he is detained in a ward-type room, without natural daylight, and he is allowed to be outdoors for half an hour a day.

In early April information was received that the administration of the penal colony increased pressure on the oppositional politician. In one week 8 reports for alleged violations of internal regulations were drawn up against him. The political prisoner was deprived of a short-term meeting planned in April, and of a food parcel, he spent three days in a penal isolation ward, and on April 3 he was transferred into a ward-type room (PKT) for 2 months.

Mikalai Statkevich is the only presidential candidate in Belarus in the election-2010 who is still imprisoned. On May 2011 he was sentenced to 6 years of deprivation of freedom on charges relating mass riots on the polling day. International human rights organisations recognized Statkevich a political prisoner.

Initially the convicted politician served a sentence in the colony №17, however in January 2012 conditions were harshened for him, and he was transferred to Mahilyou prison №4 for 3 years. After this term, on January 12, 2015, Statkevich was returned to Shklou penal colony, where in the first two days two reports were drawn up against him for violation of internal rules.