Mikola Astrejka: “I Still Cannot Recollect Myself…” :: Charter'97 :: News

On November 17 the leader of the civil campaign of election observation “Partnerstva” Mikalay Astrejka was released from Shklou medium security colony. The release of the political prisoner sentenced to two years of imprisonment for a surprise even for himself. “It was so unexpected for me, that I still cannot recollect myself...” confessed Mikalay Astrejka in an interview to the Charter’97 press center. As we have informed, “Partnerstva” activists were convicted for “activities on behalf of an unregistered organization”. One more observer, Tsimafei Drancuk, stays in prison.

- Mikalay, why have you been released?

- I have served one third of the sentence, and according to the law I had a right for being transferred to a milder regime, in particular, to corrective labour at the place of registration. There were no complaints about my behaviour for the 9 month of imprisonment. My lawyer Valyantsina Shykhantsova was constantly busy with the issue of my release, I passed he commission and on Friday, at 3 p.m., I was told to pack my things and convoyed outside the colony’s territory. It was so unexpected for me, that I still cannot recollect myself! I was given a lift to get home…

- What was your family’s reception?

- It was incredible! Everybody was very surprised and very happy! Finally I saw my daughter Liza. She was born when I was in prison. She is a wonderful baby! Now I plan to be busy with my family life, I want to spend some time with my loved ones. It is the most important thing for me now.

- You were to visit the police department today, weren’t you?

- Yes, I have just visited the police department of Pershamajski district and got registered. Now I am going to find job. I want to work in my specialty, as a lawyer. Part of my salary will be given to the state.

- After the trial you were sent to Shklou medium security colony, though the verdict was “2 years of minimum-security correctional labour facility”. Why it was so?

- I do not know. In fact, there are many people in Shklou colony who had been sentenced to a minimum-security colony. According to rumours, it had been connected with a possible reforming of the penal system in Belarus. Allegedly, two types of detention would exist in Belarus, minimum-security and medium-security colonies. But I do not know is it true or not.

- What were the conditions in the colony?

- Just usual conditions. I cannot say that there was some special stance on me, there was no additional pressure. All 2,000 thousand people nit e colony were placed in the same conditions. I was in a party of prisoners of 150 persons. The prisoners were living in wards, 25-30 persons in each. It was hard, but I got used to everything in 9 month of detention.

Food was not very good, it was only sufficient not to die from hunger.

- Did you have some health problems?

- I have hearth problems, that is why I would have to be placed to a hospital for a check-up. I have not been placed to the prison medical unit. I think it is useless, they wouldn’t be able to cure me there. After prison food my teeth are seriously damaged, so I have to visit a dentist.

- Where was it harder – in a remand prison or in the colony?
- It was much harder in the remand prison. You are constantly staying in a cell, with the same people, light and air are lacking. My hearth started troubling me there because of lack of air. It is easier in the colony. You are busy all the time there; you are working, and spend more time outside. I was busy with making boots for prisoners. To be more precise, I was an apprentice and helped others.

- Has a medium security regime affected you in any way?

- It could have affected me in case I would stay there longer. Naturally, prisoners in a medium-security colony are different. They have more serious criminal record, and they are convicted to longer terms of imprisonment. But I have no claims to the administration of the colony.

- What kind of relations with prisoners did you have?

- I have good relations with all. Everybody seemed to be understanding about my situation. There were no complications.

- The former head of the Belarusian TV and Radio Company Yahor Rybakou was in your colony, wasn’t he?

- Yes, I have met him there. You know, the perception of people in the colony changes, it is not the one as free people have. After talking to Rybakou, I came to a conclusion that he had been sentenced to harshly.

- What is your evaluation of your trial?

- I do not want to give evaluation now. I want to wait for Tsimafei Dranchuk’s release. But I would like to say now that the fact that despite of mitigating circumstances I have been sentenced to a maximally possible term of imprisonment, and it shows that even formally the court had violated the law. Not speaking about the unconstitutional nature of the criminal article under which we have been condemned, about the methods of investigation, and holding the trial behind the closed doors.