Belsat journalists Katsya Andreyeva and Dasha Chultsova have been in jail for almost six months for doing their job. So letters from the girls are a real treat in the newsroom: “You’ve got a letter from Katsya!” We show them to each other and want to share news from Katsya and Dasha with you.
Katsyaryna Andreyeva: “We must first and foremost think about ways to restore balance and peace. Not about revenge.”
Katsya writes a lot about books, the feelings they evoke, and the future – hers and all Belarusians.
“You ask what I write now. Well, mostly letters. If you think I’ve scribbled a memoir there – no, it’s a little early. Let’s do it in 30 years at least. Writing needs inspiration, and it rarely comes. Sometimes I write down funny sketches or local “folklore,” but you may not like them.”
I read what the library has, usually Russian classics. But here they brought me “The Wild Hunt of King Stakh” by Karatkevich. Oh, it was bliss! In two days, I devoured it and became sad that the book ended so quickly. I remember going to the play – I think it was in Kupala theater.
“I am clearly lucky this week: I’ve got a collection of “Spanish” essays by Hemingway, Agatha Christie (did you read it? Cool!), contemporary author Werber, novels by Françoise Sagan (France, love, the 60s). But, most importantly, I carefully reread Orwell’s 1984. It’s one of those moments when you put a book aside after reading it and then stare in open space for a long time.”
Katsyaryna Andreyeva’s husband, Ihar Ilyash, recently got a meeting with his wife. They didn’t hug; the meeting went through the glass, talking via phone.
“I had an almost two-hour meeting with Katsya today. She was only entitled to one visit before she was transferred to the colony, with the permission of the head of the Zhodzina colony – and I took advantage of that today. That is, Katsya’s parents, grandparents would not be able to see her in Zhodzina.
After the documents from the court arrive in Zhodzina, Katsya and Dasha can be transferred to Homiel at any time.
Starting from today, the colony rules apply to transfers and parcels – that is, no more than 4 packages and 2 parcels per year, and only from relatives. Non-relatives can now only send letters, postcards, and telegrams.
I also found out that the Novy Chas newspaper has not been delivered since early April. Letters are sent only by registered mail. Ordinary ones don’t come at all”.
Soon the girls will be transferred to a penal colony to serve their sentence:
“The main mystery of the coming months: what specialty I will acquire for my resume. It is so exciting, and I am wondering what kind of life goes there. What kind of people will be around? I have good ones here.”
Dasha Chultsova: “I can be unbearably homesick. I feel that there is nothing outside these walls.”
Dasha draws in her letters, remembering the buildings she knows, and thanks a lot for the attention to her.
On April 24th Darya’s mother was able to see her daughter.
Natallia said that Dasha was fine. She is in a good, even exalted, mood. Dasha says that there are very good people around her, and she gets news from freedom.
Recently Dasha wrote a very emotional letter:
“I sometimes feel unbearably homesick. I have a feeling that there is nothing behind these walls. It is as if there is nothing there, almost like in space. Sometimes it feels like it will never end. At the same time, there are really good moments, I would even call them happy ones. Often we laugh so hard that it’s impossible to stop, and then the tears. I won’t forget those moments. There are a lot of tears, both good and bad. I’ll tell you about the good ones.
There is no limit to my joy when letters come in. People write to me. This is the fact I still can’t fathom. While I was free, I was going to write to someone, but I never did. And am I worthy of them now? All the words, all the support – I don’t think I could ever find the words to thank them. It’s hard for me to respond to people sometimes. I don’t know how to say thank you to them, because that word just isn’t enough. And they thank me, but I was just doing my job.”
Letters to prisoners are an opportunity to learn about what’s going on outside, to get support. A letter is an event because nothing happens in prison. You can write about anything. It is important for prisoners not to lose their sense of freedom, which is made up of little things like real life. Tell about yourself, what you’ve seen, where you’ve been, and what’s going on around you: write about the movie that won the Oscar, that Tesla will release an electric sports car, the monument to Grigory Ordzhonikidze was torn down in Minsk, and now there will be a trendy food market…
If you want a reply, put a blank envelope and stamps in the letter.
belsat.eu
