Will Bandarenka serve term in upright position?

After the spinal surgery the political prisoner is forbidden to sit for a few months.

On August 17 after a serious spinal surgery (bilateral hernia was excised) the “European Belarus” civil campaign coordinator Zmitser Bandarenka was discharged from hospital number 5 in Minsk and sent back to the remand prison of the Interior Affairs Ministry in Valadarski Street. In a few days the political prisoner is to be transported to serve the sentence in the penal colony number 15 in Mahilyou. His wife had been promised that because of the surgery he would be transferred in accordance with a particular procedure, separately from other prisoners, in a prone position.

However, this does not solve the problem. To transfer a person after a surgery, even on stretchers, is dangerous – injuries because of vibration are possible. In addition, it is not clear how Zmitser Bandarenka would serve the sentence in the colony, as he is prohibited to sit for a few months.

On August 22 the political prisoner met with his lawyer. During the meeting Zmitser was standing. It caused great problems in their communication.

“I was going for a meeting with Zmitser, I had been permitted to have one. But during the meeting with the lawyer my husband was standing, he cannot sit. The cord of the phone receiver is short, he cannot reach it… He is prohibited to bend as well. I decided to refuse the visit: it would be hard for him during our visit, we would not be able to talk.

Zmitser does not understand: how he would serve the term standing? He reminded that he sought medical assistance back in February, but it was provided in June. The surgery could have taken place earlier. Then he would be taken to the colony on time, certified, and then he could reckon upon punishment commuting,” charter97.org was informed by Volha Bandarenka.

On June 20 one third of Zmitser’s term expired. In this connection he wrote a petition for substitution of the punishment by a milder one, which is envisaged by Article 91 of the Criminal Code.

It’s a long time since Volha Bandarenka received letters from her husband, though previously he had been writing her almost every day.