Rigoni’s visit is over, repressions are still on
- 22.10.2007, 13:47
PACE special rapporteur Andrea Rigoni visited Minsk on October 16-19. The politician who is presently working on a report on the situation in Belarus has met with officials and opposition. But during the visit of the special rapporteur the repressions weren’t stopped on the contrary, they grew stronger.
Democratic activist Paval Yuhnevich was sentenced today to 15 days of arrest by Minsk Central District Court. Yesterday the activist left the special prison facility in Akrestsin Street, where he had spent 7 days of arrest for the European March organization, to be charged again with two articles of the Administrative Code.
Democratic and human rights activist Sviatlana Garokhavik was warned she could be expelled from Belarusian State University for participation in the European March preparation. A KGB agent came to the special prison facility in Akrestsin Street where the girl was serving her term of 15 days of arrest, and said she wouldn’t go to the university any more.
Youth leader Mikita Sasim was called up for compulsory military service of Belarus. Mikita was visited by representatives of Baranavichy military enlistment office and KGB agents in Minsk special prison facility in Akrestsin Street, where the oppositionist was serving his arrest for the preparation of the European March.
The case of “Young Front” leader Zmitser Dashkevich was brought to Shklou District Court. The activist, already convicted to a year and a half, faces six month of imprisonment.
The list is not completed. During Rigoni’s visit to Minsk, the opposition activists arrested for the arrangement of the European March left prison one by one. And they tell hideous stories:
“Last time I served the term in Akrestsin prison some years ago. I must say that the conditions there have become harder. Such innovation as personal search or in fact “shakedown” has appeared. The guards came and searched us twice a week. They were checking every pocket, every seam…Like in a real colony… It was a real cold torture. It was impossible to sleep
because of the cold. We stood up and did physical exercises every 15 minutes, otherwise we could freeze. All the people from our cell got badly cold and were extremely sick when released,” Zmitser Barodka told Charter’97 press center. On the day Barodka received the unfair sentence of 15 days of arrest, his wife Valiantsina gave birth twins. The sudden arrest of her husband caused advanced labor.
“When detaining, the OMON soldiers (riot police) flung a black cellophane bag on my head, took my cell phone away”, Yaugen Afnagel, applicant for the European March, civil campaign “Jeans for Freedom” activist told Charter’97 press center. He was released today from the remand jail in Akrestsin Street after 10-days arrest.