Mikalai Statkevich Not Allowed To Call His Relatives Even After Father's Death

No news from the leader of the Belarusian opposition for 430 days.

The wife of Belarusian opposition leader Mikalai Statkevich, Maryna Adamovich, says that the political prisoner is not allowed to contact his relatives even after the death of his father. There's no news from Mikalai Statkevich for 430 days.

"After the death of his father, Mikalai had (has!) the right to make a phone call to his relatives. In accordance with Part 3 of Article 86 of the Criminal Executive Code of Belarus, I would add for doubters.

Of course, I sent a telegram, and travelled to Hlubokaye myself (however, as almost every month), and left an application for a call. I also asked for access to a notary, since, unfortunately, Viktar (Mikalai Statkevich's father - editor's note) has no other close relatives in Belarus.

I got it... No, not a call. An official answer.

Statkevich doesn't want "neither to write, nor to call, nor to meet with a lawyer and notary". Not for 430 days. And I'm keeping bothering busy people," wrote Maryna Adamovich on Facebook.

Mikalai Statkevich was sentenced to 14 years in prison, he was accused of "organisation of mass riots" (Article 293 of the Criminal Code of Belarus).

Since the beginning of July 2022 - since Mikalai Statkevich started serving his sentence in the Hlubokaye colony - he had 23 penalties. At least 9 times he was sent to the punishment cell - for periods of 7 to 10 days. The political prisoner met the New Year in the punishment cell.

Mikalai Statkevich is kept in the colony in the harshest conditions: the politician is kept in solitary confinement in dangerous conditions. It became known that Mikalai Statkevich had twice suffered from COVID-19 while in prison.

On March 20, Mikalai Statkevich's father died. The political prisoner was not allowed to say farewell to him.