Alyaksandr Zdzvizhkou: “I hope for best for me and for my country”
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16:54, — Politics
Journalist Alyaksandr Zdzvizhkou, sentenced for reprinting Danish caricatures of the Prophet Mohammed, gave the Charter’97 press center one of his first interviews at large.
– These three months weren’t spent in vain. I saw for myself in the prison the Belarusian Themis is absolutely incompetent in the law. If there were a jury trial in Belarus, a half of the present prisoners would be found not guilty, to say nothing about political prisoners. Any information, heard at the trial from the prosecution, was discrediting the Belarusian justice. Both prosecutor and judge were so incompetent, that if the trial were open, it would add negative international “prestige” to our country. No arguments were heard in favour of prosecution at the trial. The very phrasing of the accusation “my acts could have had purpose” is absurd. If judgement of guilt is given on the ground that somebody’s activity “could have had” any purpose, and the prosecution don’t give any proofs of guilt, what can we say about justice?
– How did you perceive the judgement of three years in prison after such an absurd trial?
– It made me laugh. I realised long time ago it was a showcase. The purpose was to intimidate the independent press, they wanted to show It can happen to everyone. I expected I would receive the maximum term – 5 years. In general, since the moment I had learnt about the criminal case against me, I lived according to the principle “Hope for the best, but prepare for the worse.” If our court gave judgements on the basis of proving the guilt, as it is in most countries of the world, I would be declared not guilty.
– Did you think you would be at large this day?
– Of course, I didn’t count on absolutory sentence, but I supposed the today’s trial would end with this sentence. From the one hand, I have known, that all political prisoners are being released now, moreover, the judgement of 3 years in prison for caricatures reprinting has become known in the world. But today, when I was said to leave the cell with my belongings, I didn’t exclude I would get to prison. One can expect everything in the country where there is no justice and law.
– Alyaksandr, when in 2006 you decided to publish caricatures, could you imagine you would get in prison?
– To be honest, I couldn’t imagine it even in a nightmare. Our newspaper reprinted only the most inoffensive caricatures. I discussed them with the Muslims. The material in the newspaper “Zhoda” by no means could offend the religious feelings of the Muslims. On the contrary, according to the Muslims, the caricatures had antiterrorist character.
– Do you have regrets?
– I agree with soviet dissident and Russian writer Solzhenitsyn, who said it’s better to avoid prison, because it seriously damages health, first of all. I’ll have to recover my health, but I think three months were not spent in vain. I took it as a creative assignment. I’m going to write a book, after I’ll come around. The book will be about life, prison, people I have met, our so called justice. I’m optimistic about future and hope for the best for me and the country.
It should be reminded, the political prisoner journalist Alyaksandr Zdzvizhkou was released by the judgement of the Supreme Court. The panel of the Supreme Court changed the decision of the Minsk City Court, from 3 years to 3 months in prison, taking into account exceptional circumstance (the journalist has an elderly mother).
An article “Political Creative” was published in the newspaper on 18-26 February, 2006. The article was illustrated with caricatures, including those of the Prophet Mohammed. The Committee of the State Security (KGB) initiated a criminal case on the fact of publication of caricatures of the Prophet Mohammed in the newspaper “Zhoda” on the results of inspection organised by the KGB and the Republican Prosecutor’s Office.
The inspection was taken on the ground of the appeal of the Muslim Community of Belarus and the Committee on Religions and Nationalities to the law enforcement bodies of the republic.
The newspaper “Zhoda” was closed down by the decision of the Supreme Court in the middle March, 2006.
