Political prisoner Parsiukevich threatened in pretrial center

Vitebsk businessman Siarhei Parsiukevich has firsthand knowledge of guard in the Zhodzina pretrial detention center, where he is kept before the hearing of the causational appeal.

Leader of entrepreneurs’ movement was sentenced to two and a half years of imprisonment for participation in the protest rally on 10 January.

S. Parsiukevich was warned in the detention center an entry “escape inclined” might be posted in his personal file. Natallya, entrepreneur’s wife, learnt about the event from the letter:

“On Radunitsa (day of memorial of the departed), he was upset he couldn’t attend his father’s grave. He has an icon, and he put it on the window, because it was the only suitable place. Guards came in, shouted, ordered to hide it, otherwise they threatened to write he was escape inclined. Because he touched the windows, touched the bars,” the woman told in an interview to RFE/RL.

Policemen, who guard life sentenced prisoners in the Zhodzina penal colony, also work in the detention center. This fact can explain the extreme cruelty of the guards towards the prisoners in Zhodzina.

What consequences can label “escape inclined” have for a prisoner? Former political prisoner Valer Levaneuski says it is a scar for the time of imprisonment:

“They can attend you at night, search, shine a lantern. One must check in several times a day,” the former political prisoner told.

V. Levaneuski thinks a threat to S. Parsiukevich is unlawful, because really essential reasons are needed to be placed on the list of escape inclined. The problem is that such decision is taken, it will be impossible to appeal against it. “Our courts don’t take appeals against keeping conditions,” former political prisoner Valer Levaneuski added.