Autuhovich sentenced to 5 years of imprisonment for 5 cartridges

Еhe court dismissed all the main charges from Mіkalai Autuhovіch, Uladzіmіr Asіpenka, Alyaksandr Laryn and Mіhaіl Kazlou. The court has not been able to prove the fact that Autuhovich was the leader of a criminal grouping. According to the judge, the accused did not prepare any terrorist acts directed against the former head of Hrodna Province Committee Uladzimir Sauchanka. They didn’t attempt at the life of the former deputy Minister of Taxation Vasil Kamyanko either. 

Furthermore the arson charge has been dismissed from Asipenka and Autuhovich. They used to be accused of setting fire to the house of the former head of Vaukavysk police Syarhei Katsuba in 2004.





In spite of this, the judge Alyaksandr Tsyatsyuhin has sentenced Autuhovich to 5 years and 2 month of imprisonment in a high security colony for the fact that 5 hunting cartridges were found in his flat. For “illegal actions connected with weapons, ammunition and explosives”.

Judge Tsyatsyuhin: “Autuhovich has been returned guilty of repeated illegal acquirement, delivery, possession and transportation of weapons, ammunition and explosives after a previous agreement with a group of people. He has been sentenced to 5 years of imprisonment in a high security colony without confiscation of property. The punishment of October District Court of Hrodna will be partially included in that term so the final term of imprisonment will be 5 years and 2 months”.
Alyaksandr Laryn and Uladzimir Asipenka have been sentenced to three years of imprisonment: Laryn will serve his sentence in a medium security colony and Asipenka – in a high security colony. The former lieutenant colonel of the police Mihail Kazlou will spend 2 years in prison for failing to fulfill his duties. It was said that he had not informed about the terrorist act directed against Sauchanka mentioned by Asipenka.
However, a human rights activist Aleh Vouchak thinks the sentence is too strict in spite of the fact that investigators wanted to imprison Autuhovich for 20 years. He says that the imprisoned will not have to serve the whole sentence.

Aleh Vouchak: “This is a political decision because a huge civil campaign was organized the whole year.  Believe me, if they had been told to accuse them of a terrorist act, they would have done it. I do not think it was up to the judge. It was clear they could not be detained for anything. So it was more like a political action”.



He does not exclude that another confrontation of security agencies is about to begin.

Aleh Vouchak: “The case was directed against the Office of the Public Prosecutor and the Ministry of Internal Affairs. I think some officials of high rank will have to resign. KBG may also start a criminal case against the investigators and policemen who were responsible for this case”.
Alyaksandr Kazulin also admits that the judge who pronounced the sentence did not use only the legislation for it.

Alyaksandr Kazulin: “The authorities could not accept a major law violation. They just couldn’t do it. It was evident there was no proof”.



The Swedish Ambassador to Belarus Stefan Ericson was also disappointed leaving the court.

Stefan Ericson: “The court confirmed that Laryn’s evidence was controversial. So 5 years is a very strict sentence. It is necessary to understand what happened and why people stood trial. To tell you the truth, I have not understood everything that happened there”.




The leader of “European Belarus” Andrei Sannikau is also indignant at the court’s decision.

Andrei Sannikau: “I will do everything to release Autuhovich as soon as possible. You cannot feel relief only because the imprisonment will be 5 years instead of 20. It indicates the current situation here”.



The co-leader of the steering committee for the creation of the Belarusian Christian Democracy Vital Rymasheuski thinks that the court’s decision was expected. However, he says they should not have been punished at all.

Vital Rymasheuski: “They should not have been imprisoned at all. The fact that the Office of the Public Prosecutor asked for such long terms of imprisonment only proved that the scenario was prepared earlier. They wanted to decrease the term later to show that the regime was a bit liberal. It resembles clownery”.



A friend of Autuhovich’s, a former “Afghan” soldier Alyaksandr Kamarouski disagrees with the court’s decision too.



The people who came to support the detained in the Supreme Court but could not enter the court room organized a meeting of support in front of the sentries.



Photo by: Zmitser Lukashuk