Political Prisoner Aliaksandr Frantskevich’s Whereabouts Have Been Unknown For Over A Month
1- 13.11.2024, 16:51
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His mother is also in custody in a criminal case.
In June, the Vaukavysk District Court added another year to the sentence of political prisoner Aliaksandr Frantskevich, who had previously been sentenced to 16 years and nine months in a reinforced-security penal colony. He was charged under Part 2 of Article 411 of the Criminal Code (“malicious disobedience to the administration of the colony”), the Viasna Human Rights Center reports.
Until the appeal was considered, he was held in the Baranavichy pretrial detention center #6, from where he was transferred to a colony in early October, but which one is unknown. Since then, his relatives have not received any letters from him or any notification from the correctional facility where he was sent to serve his sentence.
Therefore, for over a month, nothing has been known about Aliaksandr’s condition or whereabouts. The political prisoner's mother is also currently imprisoned as part of a criminal case.
The political prisoner was previously found guilty of a number of serious criminal charges. In September 2022, Aliaksandr was sentenced to 17 years in a reinforced-security penal colony and a fine of 700 base fees (22,400 Belarusian rubles or more than $8,800).
On February 28, 2023, the Supreme Court held a closed hearing of the appeals. The panel of judges chaired by Judge Aliaksei Rybakou dismissed the appeal and reduced Frantskevich's term by three months. Thus, Aliaksandr's final term of imprisonment is 16 years and 9 months in a reinforced-security penal colony.
The political prisoner was initially sent to Ivatsevichy colony # 5 to serve his sentence, but was later transferred to the Vaukavysk PC-11. According to human rights activists, since September 2023, Aliaksandr was placed in the cell-type premises for six months, and was also repeatedly placed in a punishment cell.
In May 2024, it became known that a criminal case had been opened against Aliaksandr under Article 411 of the Criminal Code (“malicious disobedience to the administration of the colony”). The political prisoner was in the cell-type premises for a long time.
His trial took place in the Vaukavysk District Court on June 24, 2024. Judge Mikalai Siarheyka found the political prisoner guilty and sentenced him to another year of imprisonment. Before the appeal, Aliaksandr was held in pre-trial detention center # 6. After the appeal, the political prisoner was sent to a correctional colony, but it is still unknown which one.
On July 19, it became known that the political prisoner's mother, Tatsiana, had been detained. She is accused of “assisting extremist activity” under Article 361-4 of the Criminal Code. The woman is being held in Vitsebsk's pretrial detention center #2.
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