Maxim Vinyarski: “Detention in Akrestsin Street prison is torture”

Activist of the civil campaign “European Belarus” Maxim Vinyarski has spent 2 days in prison for dissemination of information about political prisoners.

He told about incarceration conditions to “European Belarus” website.

“Incarceration conditions are very difficult. It was extremely cold. Maybe for the sake of reforming inmates, windows in the corridors were opened as well, and it created a draught. Heating was not on. Such a detention is a torture. They treated me boorishly. Not only me, but all the detained. Prison administration acquaints all those who arrive with the rules and demand to stick to them without fail. However the rights of the arrested which are written in the same document are not observed. To the demand of an hour daily walk we were told that they do not have a guarded yard. But sorry, that’s not my problem.

Another example: it is forbidden to play self-made chess, checkers and other games made from paper or other materials at hand. They are seized during the search. But it is written in the rules that they must give chess and other games when the detainees ask. But after such demands they said that they do not have table games. They said to me: “You knew where you were going”. It means each person walking down the streets should carry chess, a few books and a lot of warm clothes just in case he would be arrested on wrongful accusations… The conditions are created with such an aim that a person who gets there felt maximum discomfort.

As for the reason of the arrest, there is little room for fantasy is left. It is stated in the decree of the court rather truthfully. It is written there that I was arrested “… in order to prevent commitment of new crimes, by me and by other persons”. In other words, I was arrested to prevent me from expressing solidarity with Belarusian political prisoners.”