Political prisoner Mikalai Statkevich deprived of short-time meetings

The administration of Shklou colony has enhanced the pressure exercised on ex-presidential candidate Mikola Statkevich. He has been pronounced numerous warnings recently. Statkevich has been deprived of short-time meetings with his wife and is not allowed to accept food parcels anymore. He spent three days in a punishment cell and moved to a prison cell for two month on April 3, Maryna Adamovich, the political prisoner’s wife, told BelaPAN.

Statkevich started having problems with the prison administration as soon as he had been transferred to Shklou colony from Mahilyou prison, the woman said. When he signed the refusal to clean the territory on March 24, the pressure was enhanced.

According to the law, all prisoners have to take turns doing work and they should not work for more than 2 hours a day, Maryna Adamovcih said. However, the norms were not applied to Statkevich and he considered it to be a legalized torture.

A new case may be prepared against Stakevich, his wife thinks.  Statkevich’s term may be prolonged or he may be moved back to prison.

Mikola Statkevich is the only Belarusian presidential candidate who is still in prison. He was imprisoned for 6 years in May 2011 for mass riots on the Election Day in 2010.

Statkevich has been offered to plead pardon many times but he is refusing to do it.