Valiantsina Alinevich: Prison conditions in Belarus are a subtle genocide
The law and justice system mutilates and kills Belarusians.
This was told by Mrs. Valiantsina Alinevich, mother of political prisoner Ihar Alinevich, in an interview to the charter97.org web-site. She also told what situation her son is in now.
“Ihar started working on wood despite the fact that he is an expert in electronics and used to develop space technology. He is still “a malicious offender”, as they labeled all the political prisoners back in the summer, allowing to buy food with only 100 thousand a month. We know little about him, since there are no contacts at all: the letters come two times a month, with a delay, and there are even less phone calls, it is impossible to write about politics. When he for the first time was offered to apply for pardon, he refused, and if he was offered again, I doubt he will say about it, he made his choice. Nobody asked him when sending to work,” says Valiantsina Alinevich.
The mother of the political prisoner told of a huge number of mails that her son gets from all over the world.
“Our political prisoners, they are the people that not only Belarus but the whole world should be proud of. I feel the help and support of Europe. Ihar talked about a lot of cards and letters of support. I have no right to dictate something again, but I really want to see my son back home,” she said.
Mrs. Alinevich also spoke of the conditions in which prisoners are held in Navapolatsk penal colony.
“The colony where he is held is a chemical laboratory of Belarus. It is located between the plants “Polymer” and “Naftan”, there is no grass and trees there. The staff retire earlier and receive additional payment for the harm, it is an environmentally harmful zone. They really should ban keeping people there. They have been deprived of freedom, but they are not there to die. There’s tough air and those who come out during a visit, start coughing, and imagine how it is after several years. Moreover, due to the lack of proper food people lack vitamins and calcium, they have their teeth falling out. Nutrition is poor, just like for the dogs. Meanwhile, they are prohibited to buy products to somehow maintain health. It is a well-planned and subtle genocide,” she said.
On May 27, 2011 Zavadski District Court of Minsk sentenced Ihar Alinevich to 8 years’ imprisonment. He is now serving his sentence in the Navapolatsk-based penal colony No. 10. He, as well as Mikalai Dziadok and Aliaksandr Frantskevich, were accused of organizing a demonstration outside the Defense Ministry building in Minsk, attack on the casino “Shangri La” and the detention center in Akrestsin Street, and setting on fire the doors of a Belarusbank branch.
