Dashkevich may face punishment cell and new criminal case

• 14.07.2011, 13:06

Young Front leader Zmitser Dashkevich became a “malicious offender of internal rules” in the penal colony in Horky.

According to unofficial information, Dashkevich has already been punished twice: the first disciplinary measure was placing him in a punishment cell, as for the second penalty, Dashkevich’s lawyer will learn about it shortly.

Dashekvich, as a “malicious offender”, was reduced a sum of money he can spend in the prison shop per month (from 200,000 to 35,000), the Young Front press service reports. The politician may be thrown into punishment cell more often. Also, a number of allowed meetings may be reduced and a new criminal case against him may be opened.

We remind that Zmitser Dashkevich and Young Front activist Eduard Lobau were detained in Minsk on December 18, 2010, a day before the presidential elections. They were charged with beating two Minsk residents.

The opposition and human rights activists regarded the detention of the young politicians as a preventive measure ahead of the elections. On March 24, Dashkevich was sentenced to 2 years in a minimum security penal colony.

It must be noted that the offended party, two Minsk residents, were not shown to public during the trial – they were sitting in a neighboring room allegedly for safety reasons.

Dashkevich is considered prisoner of conscience by Amnesty International.