A convict under ‘the anarchists’ case’ has been released today at 6 am. He served his term in Ivatsevichi penal colony No 22. Belarusian human rights defenders recognised him as a political prisoner.
In the coming 6 months he is to be under preventive police supervision, the court ordered on August, 30. But it is still unknown which kind of supervision will be imposed on the former prisoner of conscience.
Aliaksandr Frantskevich was arrested on September 3, 2010. In May, 2011 three anarchists were sentenced to different terms of imprisonment (from 3 to 8 years). They were adjudged guilty of arsoning the Russian Embassy building in Minsk.
On August 30th, 2010 unknown perpetrators threw Molotov cocktails at the Russian embassy building. As a result, an embassy employee’s car was damaged. Anarchists were also charged with attempt to burn the Ministry of Defense building, Minsk’s casino Shangri-la, Minsk-Moscow bank, and a building of the Trade Unions Federation. In addition, Aliaksandr was found guilty of unautorised access to computer data, developing, using and distributing harmful programmes.
Three defendants were sentenced to imprisonment in high-security correctional institutions: Ihar Alinevich to 8 years, Mikalai Dziadok to 4.5 years, Aliaksandr Frantskevich to 3 years. They did not plead guilty to the charges.
It is interesting that the arrest of the suspects did not prevent further arsoning. Soon unidentified individuals threw fiery bottles at the building of the Minsk City court where ex-presidential candidate Andrey Sannikau was sentenced to 5 years of imprisonment the day before.
Belsat
