Updated at 13:52,22-04-2024

Summer in Belarusian prisons: stuffiness in cells and black robes

charter97.org

The wives of Belarusian political prisoners told about the conditions in prisons and colonies.

High temperatures have set in Belarus since the end of June. Some days the heat reached 34° С. Such a heat is hard to bear for the residents of big cities, but it is even harder for the prisoners of Belarusian jails and colonies. The charter97.org web-site has learnt from the wives of Belarusian political prisoners, how those bear the heat in the institutions of confinement.

"Before that Mikalaj would be glad that sunlight shone to almost the whole territory of the prison yard. It was possible to walk under the sun, and he even got tanned a bit. But I know that he walks approximately at 9 a.m., and it is not very hot yet at the time. Judging from last year it is fairly hot and stuffy in cells. But Mikalaj is a very positive person and he finds something good even in something bad. He was given a new robe, but it is of a bad quality and very thin. But husband says, it is exactly what is needed in such a heat", - Maryna Adamovich, the wife of a political prisoner Mikalaj Statkievich, told.

"Unfortunately, there is no information on the conditions this year. Ales does not tell much of what is going on now in his life. But I remember last year, when husband was proclaimed a "malicious violator". It was very hot last summer, and it was very hard to bear. Prisoners are made wear dark uniform. Ales Bialatski was punished for simply taking it off. If it is hard for us to bear the heat, we can understand that the situation is several times harder for prisoners. Another constant problem is mosquitos and blackflies. They are very annoying, when the season comes. The administration does not allow sending protective devices to prisoners. When I asked why it was not allowed, they told me, that those were not included in the obligatory list", - political prisoner Ales Bialatski’s wife Natalla Pinchuk highlighted.