Prosecutor demands to imprison Andrei Bandarenka for 12 months

Imprisoned human rights defender Andrei Bandarenka is standing trial in Mahilyou Lenin District Court. The trial began three days before his release: Bandarenlka’s term of imprisonment will end on March 31.

Bandarenka is accused of repeated disobedience to the prison administration.

The witnesses (inspectors and employees of Mahilyou prison #4) were interrogated on March 29, the human rights website Viasna reports. The imprisoned human rights defender and his lawyers found discrepancies in all their evidence but the judge declined all their requests.

Prosecutor Syarhei Minayeu is asking to imprison Bandarenka in a top security colony for 1 year. He has also suggested detaining Bandarenka until the end of the trial.

If Bandarenka is convicted, human rights defenders will be ready to announce him a political prisoner.

Bandarenka was returned guilty of hooliganism, malicious hooliganism and very malicious hooliganism in 2014.