Aliaksandr Kruty Can Be Released from Zhodzina Pre-trial Prison Today

19.02.2008. Tags: political prisoners, political persecution, punitive psychiatry.

The college board on criminal cases of Minsk oblast court has reversed the ruling of Niasvizh district court in the case of Aliaksandr Kruty, who was accused of defamation of the president. That’s why Mr. Kruty is to be released from the pre-trial prison in Zhodzina.

As HRC Viasna learned, the court admitted that there was a corpus delicti in Kruty’s actions, but it did not present a threat to the society. In her cassation complaint the lawyer Maryiana Siameshka referred to this point of the court verdict. She appealed against the ruling of Niasvizh district court by which Kruty was to be directed to psychiatric hospital for forced medical treatment.

Bear in mind, that Aliaksandr Kruty has been illegally kept at Zhodzina pre-trial prison for three weeks already, awaiting transfer to the hospital.

On 24 January Niasvizh court pronounced the verdict on the criminal case against Aliaksandr Kruty. He was found guilty under article 368 of the Criminal Code – public insult of the president. However, the court decided not to punish Kruty because his actions did not present a significant social danger and the criminal case was stopped. During the investigation Mr. Kruty underwent a forensic expertise, which declared him a paranoid schizophrenic. That’s why instead of punishment the court ruled to send the defendant to a psychiatric hospital, for forced medical treatment.