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Relatives, opposition activists discuss situation of political prisoners

Opposition activists, human rights defenders and relatives of political prisoners held a round-table discussion in Minsk on Thursday to discuss the situation of the prisoners of conscience in Belarus.

Taking part were, among others, journalist Iryna Khalip, who is the wife of imprisoned former presidential candidate Andrey Sannikaw, and Alyaksandr Kazulin, who ran in the previous, 2006 presidential election and was put in prison following post-election protests.

To a question as to why Mr. Sannikaw has come under serious pressure in the Vitsba-3 correctional institution, unlike Dr. Kazulin, who served his time in the prison in 2006, Ms. Khalip said that authorities’ logic was incomprehensible.

“It is not only my husband who has fallen victim,” she said. “Statkevich was placed in a closed prison [a cell-type institution] and they did the same to Awtukhovich. One can only guess why he cut his wrists, but those who were imprisoned once know almost for sure why he did it. And Dzmitry Bandarenka’s remark… that he would be left with nothing to do but cut his wrists if they continued to abuse him suggests a lot.”

“I think that much depends on how a person has positioned himself, because it is impossible to hide anything in prison,” said Dr. Kazulin. “I would not say that I received some markedly preferential treatment, but I saw a sign of understanding of reasons behind my imprisonment there among both the inmates and the administration. It was really tough, because the administration was also closely watched and had to do what it was told. The present-day political prisoners are under great pressure, which I believe is above all aimed at crushing them morally.”

Dr. Kazulin wished the political prisoners fortitude. “If you are consistent and have a lot of stamina, everybody will have to take you into account whether they like it or not,” he said. //BelaPAN