Georgy Kandelaki: “Paranoia signs about agony of regime” :: Charter'97 :: News

Activists of Georgian movement “Kmara” Georgy Kandelaki and Luka Tsuladze are coming back to Tbilisy. They were released from Belarusian prison on Friday. They have been illegally imprisoned for almost 10 days. That very day they left for Kiev. During their stay in totalitarian Belarus they were recognized as prisoners of conscience. Georgian ministry of foreign affairs and President Mihail Saakashvili estimated the arrest as political.

-- Georgy, why did you come to Belarus?

-- We came to Belarus to support democratic youth. It is strange that Belarusian authorities think that we are experts of non-violent resistance. Before “revolution of roses” we were studying experience of Zubr. And our aim is emotional support of Belarusians. Our friends from Zubr have enough knowledge.

--Please tell us about your detention.

-- We were detained when we were in the center of Minsk together with Zubr coordinator Vlad Kobets. Policemen thought that we are not registered in Minsk and they thought that they have legal excuse for the detention. But when we demonstrated documents they found themselves in idiotic situation. But they arrested us anyway though documents were in order. Policemen said that we are not making any “public useful job” and it means that we are vagrants. We thought that they would release us in some hours or at least next day but it didn’t happen.

-- What were the conditions in sell?

-- We had an impression of been in legal vacuum. We met people who had been stay behing bars durion two or three months without trial or investigation. The conditions are against Human dignity. The “bed” is just a wooden “scene”. 8-10 people sleep on it. They didn’t let us take blanket, warm clothes or even tooth-brash. It was very cold in the night. Only in five days after Belarusian watch-dogs and Georgian diplomats made a noisewe were allowed to take some clothes.

-- What was the attitude of Belarusian police?

-- After I spent night in prison the investigator asked mockingly asked: “Well, Mr. Kandelaki, how do you enjoy Belarus?”. I said that one day he would be shameful for that. He said that he won’t.

Attitude was impudent and insultive. We were isolated from any information. They didn’t say why we were arrested. They didn’t say that Council of Georgia in Moscow was coming but not admitted to our sell. Just the opposite. They said that none is asks about us.

Sunday evening strange person named Bondarchik was settled to our sell. He was speaking about music with us. But we noticed that he was speaking about music that was found in our suit-cases. We realized that he was an agent and refused to speak to him. In half an hour he was transfered to another sell. Next day we were taken to court and accused of insulting that guy. They were persuading us to refuse from lawyer. But when we found one he said. “I understand everything but judge won’t put his head under the hammer”. As a result I was sentenced to 15 days of arrest.
I know that all this people will be punished after democracy in Belarus is reinstalled.

--Did you feel solidarity of Belarusians? Do you know that three Zubr activists are under arrest now for action of solidarity?

-- We met one of the detained Zubrs. He told us what happened. This people are real heroes. This people are real heroes. They are intelligent and they are real patriots. I have no doubts that they will achieve freedom and democracy in their country.

-- What is the real reason of your arrest in Belarus?

-- Total paranoia and incompetence. In Serbia, Georgia and Ukraine such paranoia was a sign of agony. We have information that Moscow interfered to this case. There is paranoia in Russia too. If democratic wave comes to Belarus it will ruin Russian plans to reanimate empire.

-- What can you say to young Belarusians?

-- I admire them. I believe in them. And they must believe in themselves and go to their aim without turning back. Belarusian people are very wise and it will say “no” to dictatorial regime. The time has come.