Uladzimir Arlou: Belarus showed its will for freedom :: Charter'97 :: News

“Today I’ve started the day visiting the special distribution center in Akrestsina Street, where my son, arrested for 10 days, has been kept since yesterday. Since Stalin epoch, never in the history has such a huge number of Belarusians observed the Day of Will behind bars. And I shall say that today their hearts have been beating together with the hearts of dozens of thousands of people who came out to the streets of Minsk to say NO to the regime, that gradually deprives us of our language, national symbols, school, independent media - and now it is taking our children from us. I was in the court yesterday, when my son was tried. Long ago did our courts turn into a scorn of justice. My soul was agitated by what I saw in the court - beaten faces everywhere. I found out, the detained people hadn’t been given food since the moment of arrest; they weren’t even allowed to drink. And in court, my son wasn’t let to have a gulp of water; they barred me from passing a toothbrush and drugs for him. Yesterday not a single parcel was passed in Akrestsina Street. Today they have started accepting it - perhaps, due to the pressure by the world community. But today the powers have shown their weakness and hysteria. Thousands of armed people were led out against the demonstrators instead of allowing the peaceful demonstration. Grenades were exploding, there are injured and perhaps, God forbid, dead. Nevertheless, Belarus has proved the will for freedom hasn’t been suppressed. It was during these days that thousands of people came out and claimed their national, civil, human dignity. I’m sure the recent week is to go down in the Belarusian modern history. I’m sure Belarus will be different after these events. But now much depends on our politicians - whether they can overcome all discrepancies and unite in the name of the primary concern - the future of the European democratic Belarus,” - well-known writer, historian Uladzimir Arlou told Charter’97 press-center commenting on the events of March 25.