11 more prisoners were released in Belarus on 14 September. It is important to note that almost none of these people wrote petitions for clemency, as opposed to those who have been released previously.
Former political prisoner Aliaksandr Klaskouski (left) said that in the recent time administration of the colony offered him to write a petition for clemency on several occasions. The main importance was given to the very fact of writing the paper – not necessarily even acknowledging guilt.
“In the colony I was threatened with rape, in case of me not signing the petition for clemency. They also used other prisoners to influence me. I will hold a separate interview on this account. However, I did not sign the paper and did not appeal to Lukashenka. They even said that I shouldn’t even recognize the guilt, but I did not write anything”, – said Klaskouski.
Other former political prisoners also talked about violence, torture and pressure.
Mikita Likhavid (right): “What counts as pres
sure? Here is one example – the prohibition to sleep during the day. According to the law, it’s prohibited to sleep during the day in the punishment cell. But when in the night it is so wet and cold that one has to do push-ups half of the night to keep warm, in the day after you have a hot meal, you naturally become sleepy. People go for a nap. And for that you are sent to solitary confinement or fined with additional days if you’re already in a lock-up.”
Aliaksandr Atroshchankau (left): “I was told by Colonel Arlou, acting head of the KGB detention centre, that he would create Guantanamo for me, that the day and night will be the same for me. I spent three months in KGB prison under that kind of conditions. Indeed, from time to time they would turn the lights on at night, and dim the lights during the day…. “
Pavel Vinahradau
: “Nobody beat me. But I was very often visited by people who didn’t introduce themselves. They threatened me that they’d put me in a so-called “pressure-house,” where brutal force would be used against me. Later they threatened to put me in a cell with prisoners with low social status. Then there were some other threats, such as – “you will not come out of the prison.”
And sometimes the stick was replaced with carrot: Pasha, you say this, this and that. And preferably on camera, so that we can show that on television. And then we’ll let you go.”
Worry for those who are not yet released
Number 
of Belarusian intellectuals signed a special appeal to the head of the Department of Corrections Colonel Barsukova demanding to stop pressure on political prisoner, Zmitser Dashkevich (left).
The appeal in defense of political prisoner was signed by writer Uladzimer Arlou, poet Ryhor Baradulin, poet Nil Hilevich, archaeologist Edvard Zaikouski, historian Ales Kraucevich, musicians Zmitser Vaitsyushkevich and Lyavon Volski.
“A member of “Young Front” is being held under constant pressure by the administration of the colony, and as a result Zmitser went on hunger strike, which could have serious consequences for his health (it should be noted that Dashkevich has a number of chronic diseases),” – the statement says.
The authors demand to provide normal conditions in the punishment cell, where Dashkevich was placed immediately after the release of cell-type rooms.
“He is locked in a cell all day, while the temperature there does not exceed the temperature on the street. Dashkevich was forbidden to receive any kind of warm clothing, but a summer robe for visitors to the isolator, there is not even a blanket to cover yourself at night”- note the authors of the appeal.
They also demand to return Dashkevich his Bible. The former chairman of the Belarusian parliament, Stanislav Shushkevich, stood up for Zmitser Dashkevich as well.
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