Autukhovich goes on hunger strike

Mikalai Autukhovich has gone on a hunger strike at the police custody in Minsk. He has health problems, but no medical assistance is given to the political prisoner. Autukhovich asked the Department of Corrections to provide medical aid, but his appeal seems to have been overlooked by the prison authorities. Political prisoner's lawyer Pavel Sapelka told Euroradio that some chronical diseases of Autukhovich deteriorated, because the first several days of a hunger strike are the most difficult.

Nevertheless, Autukhovich and Sapelka are preparing two complaints: one -- to the deputy chairman of the Supreme Court; one -- seeking to prosecute the people responsible for falsifying evidence against the entrepreneurs from Vaukavysk.

Sapelka says Autukhovich is unlikely to be freed under the current amnesty.