Birthday behind bars: hourly inspections, hundreds of letters and 'hidden' radio greetings
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Ales Bialiatski, Dzmitry Dashkevich, Mikalai Autukhovich and other political prisoners celebrated their birthday in captivity.
Political prisoner Mikalai Statkevich spent his birthday behind bars. The same thing happened recently to Homiel activist Yury Rubtsou. Belsat.eu learned what happens to the person celebrating their holiday in prison.
On his 50th birthday Ales Bialiatski was in Babruisk colony. In an interview with Belsat.eu, the human rights activist said that he probably remembered that birthday better than any other in his life:
“On this day, the colony let inside the only person in all the years of my imprisonment. It was the Apostolic Nuncio Claudio Gugerotti. For almost an hour we talked. However, it was done in the presence of others. But usually these days were marked by a tightened control.”
According to the human rights activist, almost every hour they inspected if he was drinking tea, celebrating with other prisoners. When the latter congratulated Ales Bialiatski, they were immediately transferred to another unit. Still the prisoners did congratulate him, while the administration was not watching, especially after hearing greetings for ‘Ales Viktaravich’ on the Mahiliou radio.
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The co-founder of the organizing committee of the party Belarusian Christian Democracy Pavel Sevyarynets was born on 30th of December. It was the New Year’s atmosphere that he remembered more than his birthday while serving his term.
“The problem in the Malaye Sitna was that other prisoners began to celebrate the New Year, and majority of the staff from the commandant’s office were drunk by December 30. But you quickly get used to it,” Pavel Sevyarynets recalls with a smile.
In general, he believes that a free man is inwardly free everywhere, so if you are in prison during festivities, you can thank God for the life and friends there.
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The co-chairman of the Malady Front (Young Front) Zmitser Dashkevich said that birthdays behind bars are different:
“Sometimes, you are lying in prison on the floor in a transparent shirt. It is your birthday, but you’re lying this way.”
The former political prisoner said that it was very nice to receive hundreds of cards on holiday. This also impressed other convicts, who said that “the opposition is serious” and “supports each other.”
You feel no festivity from birthday spent behind bars, said the businessman Mikalai Autukhovich. But, like Dzmitry Dashkevich, he recalls the joy of greetings on this day.
“I remember, I was in the punishment cell, when they brought me almost 100 letters, and I read them all day. And if you’re not in a punishment cell but in the unit or in the camera, you have the opportunity to buy something sweet, delicious to have with tea,” said to Belsat.eu Mikalai Autukhovich.
He added that the attitude of the prison administration did not affect it.
Mikalai Statkevich also felt to no change in attitude on the part of the administration, said his wife Maryna Adamovich. She also remembered that
“In the early years of the imprisonment, this day was accompanied by fireworks, which was staged under the walls of the prison. It usually caused a reaction from other prisoners, which appeared to unnerve the administration. It was strange for us as well, when we were informed that the prison was yelling,” said Maryna Adamovich.
Just like Ales Bialiatski’s wife, the wife of Mikalai Statkevich mentioned the greetingsn on the Mahiliou radio, which were broadcast only once and were blocked in all the subsequent years.
You can congratulate Mikalai Statkevich, who has turned 59 years old at 212011, Mahiliou, 99a Krupskaya, Str, ST-4.
Zmitser Kustouski, belsat.eu/en/
