Zmitser Bandarenka: “Our friends are on the verge of life and death” (Photo)

6.08.2012, 11:32

Pickets of solidarity with Belarusian political prisoners were held in Warsaw.

Activists of European Belarus civil campaign and the Belarusian House in Warsaw as well as representatives of the Belarusian diaspora gathered near Copernikus monument in Nowy Swiat Street (Warsaw) and raised a banner “Stop terror in Belarus”, Picketers had national white-red-white flags, portraits and teddy bears – a symbol of Swedish pilot's performance to support freedom of speech in Belarus.

Former political prisoner and coordinator of European Belarus civil campaign Zmitser Bandarenka and co-director of the Belarusian House in Warsaw Zmitser Barodka took part in the picket.

“I undergo medical treatment in Poland. I read on the Internet that the day of solidarity with Belarus would be held in Warsaw and other capitals. I couldn't but come here as a former political prisoner. From my own experience I know the curative power of information that people remember Belarusian political prisoners, organizer pickets with our portraits and remember our families. I remember my friends in prison showed me Nasha Niva newspaper with a photo of a solidarity picket in London, when Kevin Spacey had my portrait and Jude Law held a portrait of Natallia Radzina. In Valadarka jail, I was showed a copy of Gazeta Wyborcza with an interview with my daughter Yulia. It gave me forces for several months.

I am happy to see that the Belarusians who have to live in Warsaw are active. It is pleasant to see interest of Poles to our picket. Belarusians offered passers-by to take their photo with portraits of Belarusian political prisoners and show their support in this way. People of different ages vigorously joined the picket. Our friends are suffering now. Many of them are on the verge of life and death. We see the slow and tardy European bureaucracy and brave effectiveness of ordinary Europeans, who want to help Belarusians. But it is Belarusians who should remember about Belarusian political prisoners most of all,” Zmitser Bandarenka told charter97.org.

The Belarusian House also carried out a performance in the Warsaw metro, where portraits of Belarusian political prisoners were displayed and people could write letters to support them. The performance was organized by co-director of the Belarusian House Ales Zarembyuk.