Political prisoner Bandarenka suffers still hasn't been given due medical aid despite serious health problems

Political prisoner Zmitser Bandarenka is in a detention facility of the Interior Ministry hanging between life and death.

The wife of Zmitser Bandarenka, a coordinator of European Belarus civil campaign sentenced to 2 years’ imprisonment for taking part in a demonstration on 19 December, visited her husband on 9 June.

“Zmitser had problems with his right leg. He can move it, but cannot lean on it. It is a paresis. He also has problems with his hip joints. His left foot swells, now his knees has swollen. He suffers from severe leg pain. He cannot bend it. It is unknown what is happening with his legs. A diagnosis has not been made. Zmitser asked a medical assistant for an anti-inflammatory or analgesic injection, but got four pills instead. He has problems with his lever due to a large amount of pills he has to take,” Volha Bandarenka told charter97.org.

Zmitser Bandarenka’s wife received a letter on June 10 where Zmitser wrote more about his health and the attitude towards him in the KGB jail, where he had been before the trial, and in the Interior Ministry’s detention facility.

“In February, when I was in the KGB jail, I had aggravations with my back, ulcer, gout, and intestinal tract. I underwent biochemical blood assay, which was very bad. They check every day if I am still alive. I asked the chief to permit me to see a neurologist, to undergo MRI, gastrofibroscopy, and another biochemical blood assay. In those conditions my life was under threat. I asked this because the jail medical assistants said it was possible. The jail chief confirmed it would be done. Then they probably received an order not to treat political prisoners. I was given only pills. No promises were fulfilled. When I was waiting for my transfer to this jail, the KGB jail chief said there was the republican hospital with good doctors in this detention facility and promised I would be examined and treated here.

I was transferred, but my appeals for medical aid, my documents and epicrisis remained in the KGB. It is impudent, but they did not send the documents. I asked for medical aid about 20 times in connection with my ulcer, gout, swollen knees, high temperature, inability to walk due to back pains and leg paresis, stomach and intestinal tract. I applied to the detention facility chief asking to render medical aid to me, due to the diseases that aggravated in custody.

A week later, a neurologist visited me in presence of a chief doctor of the jail medical unit or one of chief doctors from the republic hospital, I don’t know exactly. On that day I was able to submit senior lieutenant copies of my discharge reports from the fifth hospital, an experts’ opinion on ulcer, MRI results, copies of doctor’s opinion from Nordin hospital on gout and arthritis. After a letter from Migalski (a Polish MEP who adopted Zmitser Bandarenka – charter97.org), I was allowed to talk to the jail chief, who promised I would see a neurologist and undergo tomographic examination next week. It will be either this week or in a week. I am waiting.

Then another officer, who occupies a lower position, called me and asked if I want to speed up a transfer to a correctional colony. I said I must end reading court records and I was promised to visit a neurologist and undergo MRI. He said: “Well, you can go.” So, I can be moved to Zhodzina. They know that I had problems with health. “Stool pigeons” are constantly asking how my back is. Someone seems to have a scenario to completely ruin my health. That explains these cruel games. How can serve my prison term if I can hardly move?”

Zmitser Bandarenka explained what can happen if he would not receive medical aid in the Interior Ministry’s jail:

“If I leave this jail without proofs of my diseases, doctors in colony will consider me a healthy person. But like with the KGB jail, they will not send anything to the colony. I will be deprived of all medicines, nobody will treat me. As a result, my health will deteriorate and I will return here in three or four months.”

Volha Bandarenka had a meeting this week with the administration of the Interior Ministry’s detention facility:

“I met with the head of the medical unit on Monday. He said Zmitser had not applied for aid in written form. He was lying, as it turned out. I was told they did not have any medical reports, though I had passed them earlier through a lawyer. I visited the jail on Wednesday again to pass Zmitser medicines and medical reports, but they said: “You found all necessary documents just after you had gone.” They found them a month after I had given them all reports.

It’s time to make steps forward. The minimum possible term under Zmitser’s article is 6 months of arrest. He has already served this term. He has serious problems with health, he is very ill, so it’s time to make the first humanitarian step and free the political prisoner.”