Syarhei Skrabets Goes On Hunger Strike Again :: Charter'97 :: News

Former deputy and the head of the group “Respublika” Syarhei Skrabets restarted a hunger strike of protest, Radio Svaboda was informed by the mother of the well-known oppositional politician, Nina Skrabets. She visited him in the remand prison on September 13. It is the second hunger strike of the political prisoner. For the first time he went on hunger strike on May 15, right after the detention. Both the first and the second hunger strikes were announced as a protest against illegal actions of the authorities.

Investigator for particularly important cases of the Republican Public Prosecutor’s Office Vyachaslau Tserakhovich, who is in charge of the case, told Syarhei Skrabets that he is accused of three violations of the law already: illegal credits from the state, illegal business activities and inciting to give a bribe. Two weeks are usually given for being acquainted with the criminal case, and after that the case is given to the court.

In summer 2004 Syarhei Skrabets took part in the hunger strike of the “Respublika” deputies, who demanded democratization of the Electoral Code, and release of one of the Belarusian opposition leaders, Mikhail Marynich. They also protested against referendum for cancelling limits for a number of presidential terms. In 2004 he was one of the organizers of the rally timed to the end of the 10-year presidency of Lukashenka. In October, 2004, he petitioned Russian President Vladimir Putin to grant him political asylum, however his petition was refused. This year in April the Belarusian TV channel showed a reel stating that special services detained a currier who transported USD 200,000 from Vilnius, allegedly for financing Syarhei Skrabets’ political activities.