Andrey Sannikau makes petition for pardon


As a consequence of torture ex-presidential candidate Andrey Sannikau who had been sentenced to five-year imprisonment lodged a petition for pardon addressed to Alexander Lukashenka, his wife Iryna Khalip told journalists at the press conference on January, 25, 2012.

During the visit to Vitsba-3 penal colony Sannikau gave her a wink that «something terrible» had been happening to him. «Being separated with a glass wall we had to talk in the presence of a colony officer, However, I managed to show a note with the question: «Did they threaten our family?» to Andrey. And he nodded in response,» Iryna Khalip says.

According to Iryna, Sannikau informed her that tortures and threats aiming at «making him lodge a petition for pardon» had started in September, 2011. As a result, on November, 20, 2011 the ex-presidential candidate presented a petition addressed to Alexander Lukashenka.

Iryna Khalip points out that at the press conference on December, 23, 2011 Lukashenka stated that Sannikau had not addressed to him with a petition for pardon. «Either the situation was not under Lukashenka’s control or he intentionally lied to journalists, because he was due to know about it», Sannikau’s wife states. In accordance to Iryna’s words, there has not been any official reaction to the politician’s petition.

Andrey Sannikau was found guilty of mass riot organization on December, 19, 2010. The court sentenced him to five-year imprisonment. Since then Sannikau has changed penal institutions three times over. Now he is known to be kept in a one-man cell of Vitsba-3 penal colony. No one had been allowed to visit him for more than two months. On January, 20, 2012 Sannikau’s defence lawyer was permitted to see his defendant; four days later a short-term visit of the imprisonee’s mother and wife took place in Vitsba-3 penal colony.

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