Aliaxandar Atroshchankau: They are trying to break Dashkevich

There are horrific stories among the prisoners about the Vitebsk prison, where the leader of "Malady Front" is being held.

Coordinator of the civil campaign "European Belarus" Aliaksandar Atroshchankau commented to charter97.org on refusal of Vitebsk prison administration to let a lawyer to the leader of "Malady Front" Dmitry Dashkevich. Meanwhile prison administration is referring to formal reasons.

"I think they do not allow a lawyer to Dashkevich because they are trying to break him. The authorities want to break a political prisoner, and don’t want information about this to become known. It is absolutely foolish to refer to any formality. Nothing can limit the individual's right to communicate with his," - said Aliaxandar Atroshchankau.

"When I was in prison "Vitba-3", I met with prisoners, who told just terrible things about Vitebsk prison, where now they hold Dashkevich. Even for an average prisoner to get there - a serious test. So we can only guess what is going on with Dmitry Dashkevich," - said the former political prisoner.

Aliaxandar Atroshchankau believes that the opposition that go to the "elections" when political prisoners receive new sentences, cannot be called an "opposition".

"I think that the "opposition" candidates for" deputies" are playing giveaway with the authorities. I would not even call them the opposition. These are people who knowingly allow them to be involved in this "elections" game. They go to this game, despite the fact what happens today with political prisoners,” - said Atroshchkankau.

"A true opposition must be serious and be able to negotiate with each other. Opposition figures have to steadily demand the release and rehabilitation of all political prisoners without conditions", - said the coordinator of "European Belarus".

"The fact that some of the opposition members participate in the" elections" speaks to their carelessness and inability to negotiate with their colleagues. This summer opposition leaders accepted the agreement that they will not participate in elections until the release of all political prisoners. As we see today, some oppositionists spit on this opposition agreement ", - thinks Aliaxandar Atroshchankau.