Two political prisoners file pardon appeals

Responding to BelaPAN's question whether there were any appeals for pardon from the December 19 2010 convicts, Lukashenka said: 

"I don't know if they appealed. If they did, then the appeals should be in the pardon commission. We will keep you informed. They told me a month ago that there were two appeals," he said. To the additional question on who exactly asked for pardon Lukashenka answered he didn't know. 'We'll clarify this and tell you then," he added.

The president's press office clarified to BelaPAN that Syarhei Kavalenka and Pavel Syramalotau filed appeals for pardon. However, these convicts are not connected with the December 19, 2010 case. Vitsebsk oppositionist Syarhei Kavalenka is imprisoned for the avoidance of serving the punishment. Pavel Syramalotau is a member of anarchist group convicted for the attempt to set on fire the KGB office in Babruisk.

Meanwhile, Mikalaj Statkevich's wife Maryna Adamovich said that her husband had written no appeals and would not do it in the future. Mikalaj Statkevich was sentenced to 6 years in prison for organizing the December 19, 2010 protests. Maryna Adamovich told Radio Liberty that Statkevich even addressed the colony's administration, requesting that they stop suggesting him to sign a pardon appeal.