Nasta Dashkevich and her husband Zmitser have become Mom and Dad: on June, 9 their daughter came into the world.
English subs:
{movie}Daughter born to ex-political prisoner’s family ENG subs|right|16899{/movie}
ZMITSER DASHKEVICH, Young Front:
‘When we got to know we were expecting a baby our life changed greatly. One should become doubly responsible, especially in our country. You should act differently; I tried not to put my fingers in the fire so that Nasta would not be nervous. Today I am overcome with emotions, and it’s difficult to wrap my mind around all this.’
Zmitser Dashkevich, a co-chair of youth opposition organisation Young Front, is still under the police supervision although he was released from Prison in August, 2013. Some days ago court extended preventive supervision for three months; in the run-up of the World Ice Hockey championship he was sentenced to 25 days of arrest. The accusation was wrongful, human rights defenders say. Despite all the problems, the family has been strongly supported by friends and indifferent people.
ZMITSER DASHKEVICH, Young Front:
‘A lot of people are calling and sending congratulations via Facebook, I appreciate it. Many people help us – they presented a pram, clothes, etc. I am very grateful to them, I can’t even name each of them, so many people helped us. I am afraid to forget anyone. We are greatly impressed because we never expected such backing. But for this assistance we would have faced more difficulty.’
But it seems that the Dashkevich family can always count on support.
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Zmitser Dashkevich and another activist of Young Front, Eduard Lobau, were detained on December 18, 2010; they were accused of beating two local residents. Dashkevich and Lobau expressed strong dissent and insisted on their not knowing the alleged victims but the both were adjudged guilty of especially malignant hooliganism (Article 339, part 3 of the Criminal Code). On March 24, 2011 Zmitser Dashkevich was sentenced to two years of imprisonment in a minimum security penal colony, Eduard Lobau – to four years of a medium security penal colony.
Opposition activists and human rights defenders considered the detention as part of police preventive action performed before the 2010 presidential election. International human rights organisations recognised them political prisoners.
On December 26, 2012 Nasta Palazhanka and Zmitser Dashkevich got married in prison.
On August 28, 2013 Zmitser Dashkevich was released from prison. But the former political prisoner is still under preventive police supervision: he is forbidden to stay out of his home from 8 pm to 6 am. Furthermore, Mr Dashkevich is obliged to appear at Pershamayski district Directorate of Interior in Minsk thrice a week.
