Andrei Sannikov to be transferred to Navapolatsk penal colony

The judgement to the presidential candidate was upheld. He is expected to be transferred to a colony in the nearest days.

Iryna Khalip, the wife of the political prisoner, learnt this on July 18 during a meeting with Andrei Sannikov in the Interior Ministry’s detention facility.

The leader of European Belarus civil campaign is likely to be sent to the Navapolatsk colony in July 25. The politician can meet with his mother in the detention facility today.

Iryna Khalip told charter97.org that Andrei Sannikov was cheerful, thought confinement conditions deteriorated (he is in a cell with 12 other prisoners) and he had problems with health.

“The conditions are difficult for him. He seldom goes for a walk, because the only opportunity to stay alone or almost alone to write a letter is to refuse from walks. It’s very stuffy in the cell. It turns into a real gas chamber when electricity is cut off and fans do not work. His chronic diseases aggravated. He suffers from gastritis and gout,” the wife of the political prisoner said.

Iryna Khalip notes that only letters from Sannikov’s mother and wife pass the prison censorship. He does not receive letters from friends and ordinary people.

“I cannot understand the principle of work of the prison censorship. His statements after a visit of an investigator from the military prosecutor’s office and comparisons the KGB with the Gestapo and the military prosecutor’s office with Abwehr as well as estimation of the punitive judicial system passed censorship. But a nice story he wrote for failed to pass. Besides fairytales for Danik, he writes stories for me, something resembling Daniil Kharms. Andrei wrote about a fat boy, who wanted to become a scoundrel. His dream came true. He overcame all obstacles and became a real scoundrel. Then the boy decided he needs a better surname. The passport office made an exception for him, because he already was a famous scoundrel and issued him a new ID with a new beautiful name – Ksenofont Superfosfatov. This story did not pass censorship. Andrei is going to write a story about a boy with a moustache and a comb over. I wonder if it will be able to pass censorship,” Iryna Khalip says.

According to Iryna Khalip, she told her husband about the recent events in Belarus and silent protests on Wednesday.

“I said that certain politicians think the public actions every Wednesday hinder the release of political prisoners, because the authorities are in panic choking with rage, but if the situation was calm, they would release people one by one. Andrei said he supports these actions and he would not like to be freed at the cost of refusal to hold protests,” the wife of the political prisoner said.