Ihar Alinevich: Support from human rights defenders gave feeling that I have people to rely on

The former political prisoner met with human rights defenders after the release.

Ihar Alinevich talked about the role of support from human rights activists in prison, Viasna human rights centre reports.

“They always had contact with me, and I knew some news about diplomatic steps to defend us and steps by the Belarusian community. I received all necessary legal materials, codes, amendments and court decisions on my first request. I also received plenty minor but useful documents regarding particular issues.

I also felt support at a personal level: they asked how I spent my spare time, what I read, how I felt. Such things encouraged me. It in general gave me a feeling of safety and a feeling that I have people to rely on,” he said.

On May 27, 2011, Minsk's Zavadski district court sentenced activist of the anarchist movement Ihar Alinevich to 8 years in a medium security correctional facility for violating part 2 of article 339 of the Criminal Code (hooliganism) and parts 2 and 3 of article 218 (damaging property on a large scale). He was held in correctional facility No. 10 in Navapolatsk and, since July 2014, in correctional facility Vitsba 3 in Vitsebsk.

He and other political prisoners were pardoned by the president and released from prison on August 22.