Political Prisoner Mikola Statkevich Pension’s Withdrawn :: Charter'97 :: News

Payments to the state budget to a political prisoner, leader of the Belarusian Social Democratic Party (Narodnaya Hramada) Mikola Statkevich have been increased. Now he is to pay 50% of his military pension to the state. According to the oppositional politician, the authorities have done that intentionally, to worsen his financial condition. To his mind, a series of measures has been elaborated for insulting his honour and dignity. The oppositionist has been sentenced to two years of corrective labour for organizing street protests against rigged elections results on October 18 and 19.

As we have informed, the court of Tsentralny district of Minsk has fined oppositional politician for delivering a speech at the meeting of vendors on March 1. As far as Mikola Statkevich refused to stand up in the court in front of the judge, he was fined 128,000 Br. Thus, the total amount of the fine is USD 2,000.

According to legislation, fines in administrative cases cannot be higher than 20% of a salary or a pension. Since June 1 the politician paid it that way. Later Mikola Statkevich was placed to Baranavichy special settlement for corrective labour, and the situation changed. He was to pay 40% of pension. He was explained in the bank that for the first time they had received such a letter from the Justice Ministry, that the sums of the fine could be added.

Since August 28 it was forbidden to Mikola Statkevich to visit Minsk. His visit could allegedly “destabilize operational situation in the city”. Right after that his working day at the enterprise “Rembyttekhnika” was reduced by three hours, in order to make him spend more time in the special settlement.

The oppositionist considers that to be a sign of clampdown by the regime.