Mikalai Dzyamidzenka: “I spent most time of my term in a cooler”

Young Front activists were thrown into a cell with the temperature below 10 degrees Celsius.

Young Front deputy head Mikalai Dzyamidzenka was released yesterday from the detention centre in Akrestsin Street. He was arrested when he was meeting his friends, Uladzimir Yaromenak, Mikhail Musski, Raman Vasilyeu and Dzmitry Kramyanetski, who had been detained for two weeks.

Mikalai Dzyamidzenka said in an interview to charter97.org, the Young Front activists were kept in medieval conditions:

“Most part of the term I spent in the so called cooler, where people are thrown for violations of internal rules,” Mikalai says. “The cooler is located close to the office of an officer on duty. It is the coldest cell. The temperature there is about 10 degrees. Raman Vasilyeu was there for two weeks despite his sinusitis. It's a common practice in the detention centre to place political prisoners in the worst cells. It has become a system,” the Young Front deputy head continues.

“It's difficult for health to be there. Awful conditions. It's cold and stuffy. You cannot open a window. The cell is dirty with rats running everywhere. Plumbing equipment is terrible, everything is leaking,” Mikalai Dzyamidzenka says.