What is really happening in Belarus? - Day 5

Today I received mail with DVDs and flycards for a short film festival we planned to organize these days. Who could guess that by the time the discs arrive office will be captured and only handful people will still be free. So I will reply to coordinators that the show will not happen and we have another very different show instead. I will keep the disks hoping to watch these films with friends when they are released.

Today none of our fellows was released although their preliminary investigation term was over. They all were announced as officially detained for counter-government action. So the courage to take part in president election may cost them up to 15 years of prison term. When you look at the list below you will see that even a 20-year old girl is considered so dangerous as to through her into the same prison used to torture and murder enormous number of innocent people in 1930-s. (This is internal prison of KGB, they even have a tiny English web page - http://kgb.by/eng/)

If you remember brave police lieutenant from Day 1 article he is number 5 in this list. He was wounded during execution and still trying to save others. This is the worst dictator’s nightmare when his hunting dogs feel the sense of humanity.   And some more pictures to complete the impression http://nn.by/?c=ar&i=47664   Another young girl received 10-days prison term despite her physical condition. These wounds look life-critical but court had no mercy http://nn.by/?c=ar&i=48049 and this wasn’t exceptional.   I am ashamed that my country still uses the right to kill its citizens, it exercises death penalty and “occasional death” is also quite common. Only a few journalists are trying to disclose the fate of a man appearing to be beaten to death. We have only low-res video and no official data. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qpvyby5oSKE&feature=player_embedded#at=30 Some more similar cases have only verbal confirmation.

Here it is a picture of Popular Front headquarters show how ordinary people try to support the victims. They are collecting basic items to transfer to inmates. The link and the picture show the vision of solidarity. http://nn.by/?c=ar&i=47995

Every evening I lit a candle for spiritual support for all who suffered from this brutal regime. Similar “candles of freedom” appear on independent web-sites like this http://belaruspartizan.org/   And my candle should give some more warmness to them.

As Christmas approaches I feel additional hopes. It would be a real miracle if I see even one released friend this week.