Dzmitry Bandarenka: ”The issue of political prisoners is getting to its critical phase”

Are there any signs that the political prisoners who have been released will be rehabilitated? What are their biggest concerns?

The other day former political prisoner Dzmitry Bandarenka came back from Poland where he had gone to negotiate his treatment.

“I met with people who can help me with treatment. Of course, apart from that, I met with my daughter. I was happy to see her; we haven’t met for almost one year and fifteen months. I also met with friends, acquaintances who for various reasons live in Warsaw and in Lithuania. For me, it was a form of rehabilitation, since it is very hard for me to enter the ordinary world after prison. The trip helped me to have a better reality-check,” Bandarenka told Radio Svaboda.

Dzmitry Bandarenka has serious problems with his spine. His leg is partially paralyzed, he has difficulty walking. He may have problems with his other leg that hurts, too. According to Bandarenka, the health issue is very serious and should be solved as soon as possible. So Dzmitry doesn’t say anything yet about an active political life. As for Europe’s demand to rehabilitate the political prisoners, Dzmitry Bandarenka says that there is no news.

“I am still convicted and will remain convicted for two more years, which is a threat of a new imprisonment at any moment, if there is any breach. So there is really no rehabilitation. 15 more people remain behind the bars. Andrei Olegovich and I keep on saying that they are having it much harder now. They are undoubtedly under pressure. And this question should be raised all the time. A cannot say that we were released only because of the pressure from Europe. Had we not written those appeals, we would still have been in prison. And everyone should realize that. Some Western politicians consider the Belarusian issue to be solved. But it is not. The issue of political prisoners is in its acute, critical phase,” Bandarenka said.