Ales Byalyatski sends first letter from Babruisk penal colony

Natallya Pinchuk, the wife of the political prisoner leading Viasna human rights centre, received the first postcard from a penal colony in Babruisk.

He was transferred to Babruisk from a prison in Zhodzina. Relatives did not receive letters from him during the transfer. The postcard from the colony was sent on February 29. According to Natallya Pinchuk, the message is short, but very important to her, Radio Racyja reports.

“I have been waiting so long for the letter. It is a sign he can write, he is alive. It is good news for me. He writes the travel was normal, he is getting used to the new place.”

We remind Ales Byalyatski was sentenced to 4.5 years in a medium security penal colony and confiscation of property. The court decision was delivered by Syarhei Bandarenka, a judge from the Pershamaiski district court of Minsk, on November 24, 2011.