Swedish Ambassador Visits Mikalai Statkievich

Several days ago representatives of Swedish Parliament and journalists visited the political prisoner Mikalai Statkievich at the open penitentiary institution. Stefan Erickson, head of the Swedish diplomatic mission in Belarus, met with Mr. Statkievich during the lunch hours. He assured the politician that Swedish social-democrats will continue cooperation with the party which he is the head of.

Mikalai Statkievich has already spent three months of personal restraint in Baranavichy. Despite of the fact he has no admonitions from the administration he wasn’t allowed to come to Minsk and visit his family. He is sure he will be deprived of the possibility to receive guests in Minsk for a long time. He said to RFE/RL he felt great moral support when his colleagues, journalists and diplomats visited him:
-- In my situation manifestations of solidarity are doubtlessly important ones, especially if they are international. By the way, international visits set the local power structures on their nerves and at the same time decrease the possibility of provocations against me. Diplomats from Germany and Sweden are the most active ones. I received greetings from Swedish partners social-democrats and was assured the status of our party as a consultative member of the socialistic International won’t change.

The Ambassador of Sweden Stefan Erickson gifted to Mikalai Statkievich books. The opposition activist says reading is the only pleasure after the working day:
-- In general, book is the best gift for me. I like reading very much, the more that after work I must immediately go to the special commendatory where I’m kept. My neighbors come much later, so I have two hours for reading.