On December 20 2007 Artur Finkevich, an activist Young Front organization, was sentenced to other 18 months of prison.
Arrested on January 30, 2006, Artur Finkevich was sentenced to a two-year "restricted freedom" term in May 2006 on a "malicious hooliganism" charge for political graffiti "We want a new one!” (instead of Aliaksandr Lukashenka), “Enough”. At that time, he was just 20 years old. Artur was recognized as prisoner of conscience by Amnesty International.
Artur Finkevich started serving his restricted freedom term in Mahilou in late June 2006. Despite harsh imprisonment conditions, he remains morally unbeaten, consistent and resolute in his political commitments. Over this period he has continued to be student by correspondence of European Humanitarian University (Vilnius) showing his thirst for knowledge and responsibility. Serving his term, Artur Finkevich has proved to be ready to defend his rights, he has providing legal advise to other prisoners while dealing with the correctional body administration.
In October 2007, another criminal case was open against Artur Funkevich on allegedly violating correctional facility rules. He was put in Mahilou’s pre-trial jail.
Despite the protests of the Belarusian civic society and international community Artur Finkevich was found guilty and sentenced to 18 months of prison. If there had not been this new sentence, Artur Finkevich would have been released on December 10. We consider this sentence as politically motivated and illegal. The decision was appealed to the court of review. The examination of the appeal was scheduled for 5th of February.
Artur was released on 5th of February. The sentence of the Court of appeal was 3 months that he already spend in prison.
