At Liberty (Photo, video)

Several pardoned political prisoners returned home yesterday.

As it is known, 6 out of 9 persons mentioned in the decree of Lukashenka (Lukashenko) have got liberty.

On August 13 three former prisoners arrived to Minsk from Babrujsk colony. They were Dzmitry Drozd, Artsyom Hrybkou and Syarhei Kazakou. The relesees have been transported to the capital in a passenger train.

Yauhen Sakret has been released from the penal colony near Mahilyou, Uladzimir Yaromenak left the penal colony in Vitsebsk region.

Vasil Parfyankou has been released from the penal colony in Vorsha, Vitaly Matsukevich – from the colony in Navapolatsk.

Alyaksandr Kvyatkevich has been released from Ivatsevichy detention facility, Vyasna human rights centre informs.

It is not known yet who is one more pardoned prisoner, and whether he is released. Dzmitry Drozd has informed that Andrey Pratasenya, who had been mentioned earlier, would not be released, as he refused to write an application for pardon

We remind that the charter of pardon of 9 persons involved in the criminal case of “mass riots” on December 19. 2010, was signed by Alyaksandr Lukashenka on August 11. “Such a decision had been adopted on the grounds of petitions for pardon of the above-mentioned persons, considering the fact that they had acknowledged the criminal character of their actions, admitted fault and repented sincerely,” the press-service of the dictator informed without telling the names of the pardoned.

Dzmitry Drozd told to Radio Svaboda in an interview, that he feels that his release is a half-celebration for him, as many political prisoners are still staying behind the bars. “When they all are released, there will be a real holiday.” As said by Drozd, those who had refused to sign a petition for pardon, are undergoing especially harsh pressure now. He had not admitted his guilt himself, as those who had been urging him to write a petition for pardon wanted him to, but he had written that “he regrets the things he had done personally”. As said by Drozd, this expression had satisfied the both sides.