Liliya Ulasava, a lawyer and representative of the Presidium of the Coordination Council, was released from jail several weeks ago. Just like a number of other political prisoners were after participating in a “dialogue” with Lukashenka in the KGB pre-trial detention center.
The mediator told TUT.by in what conditions women are kept in the Valadarka jail and what Lukashenka said at a meeting with political prisoners in the KGB pre-trial detention center.
Valadarka jail
In Valadarka I “lived” in two cells. The first cell for six people was on the territory of the prison hospital; there were sick people, including those with serious mental illness.
In prison, for the first time in my life, I saw the quintessence of human suffering: tears, anger, hopelessness, despair, remorse and aggression. The grave condition of the inmates forced them to switch from their own trouble to someone else’s. I tried to distract them with conversations, I always kept medicines on hand, as there were tantrums and even fights (in the first, hospital cell). I didn’t ask why they were in prison, because I saw in them, first of all, unhappy people who needed support. Most of the women had already been convicted and were waiting for their case to be considered by the Court of Appeal or to be sent to a colony in Homiel.
Meeting with Lukashenka
On Saturday, October 10, at 6.30 am, a guard entered my cell and said: “Ulasava, get dressed for the season and head for the exit.” I asked where we were going. They answered me we were going to take part in the investigative activities. You cannot refuse. Only when we turned from Independence Avenue to Kamsamolskaya Street, I realized that they were being taken to the KGB. They put me in an office with a security guard and asked me to wait for a lawyer. At about 12 I was taken to a hall in which there were already people. From those present, I was familiar with Babaryka, Znak and Saley. Viktar Babaryka, next to whom I was seated, joked: “It sounds blasphemous, of course, but I’m glad to see you.” I was also glad to see him alive. When Lukashenka entered the hall, at first I thought that this was his double, this was some kind of joke, it could not be that he came to the arrested.
I asked Lukashenka a question: “I have never been involved in politics, I came to the Coordination Council as a negotiator and mediator, stayed there for 12 days, why did you put me in prison?” In response, I heard: “I wish you kept to your mediation, why did you get involved?”
belsat.eu, TUT.by.
