"It's chillingly clear that the three activists have been sentenced on the basis of trumped up charges just because they dared to criticize elections that were plagued by irregularities," said Nicola Duckworth of Amnesty International. "These men are prisoners of conscience - jailed for the peaceful expression of their views - and they must be immediately and unconditionally released."
Mikita Likhavid, 20, was sentenced to three years and six months in a labor colony on charges of "mass disorder" for peacefully participating in opposition demonstrations in December. The conviction follows the sentencing on March 24 of activists Zmitser Dashkevich and Eduard Lobau, allegedly for "hooliganism".
Mikita Likhavid was among protesters beaten by riot police in disturbances that followed Belarus' disputed election on December 19, in which President Alyaksandr Lukashenka was re-elected for the fourth time amid allegations of rigging.
Law student Likhavid was initially detained for an administrative offence but then faced criminal charges, despite the policeman who filed his arrest warrant admitting in court that he had not seen Likhavid during the protest.
Prominent activist Zmitser Dashkevich, leader of the Young Front organization, and fellow Young Front member Eduard Lobau were last week sentenced to two and four years in a labor colony respectively for allegedly assaulting passers-by the day before the election.
Another Young Front activist present at the time told Amnesty International that the group had in fact been attacked. He said four men had asked them for directions and then punched Zmitser Dashkevich and Eduard Lobau.
Police arrived within minutes in a police special forces minibus and detained the three activists and two of the attackers without asking any questions. Zmitser Dashkevich and Eduard Lobau were convicted on the basis of testimony from the two attackers detained with them.
"It appears that Zmitser Dashkevich and Eduard Lobau, as well-known activists, were detained to prevent them taking part in the demonstration on December 19," said Duckworth.
The convictions bring the total number of prisoners of conscience connected with the post-election crackdown currently in detention or under house arrest to 15. (Issued on Tuesday, March 29, 2011)
Amnesty International is a Nobel Peace Prize-winning grassroots activist organization with more than 3 million supporters, activists and volunteers in more than 150 countries campaigning for human rights worldwide. The organization investigates and exposes abuses, educates and mobilizes the public, and works to protect people wherever justice, freedom, truth and dignity are denied.
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