Yuru Rubtsou: other convicts are being set up against me

The prison authorities increased the pressure on other prisoners with this aim.

In a telephone conversation with human rights defenders from “Viasna” the political prisoner Yury Rubtsou, reported that the administration of the special settlement №7, where he is serving his sentence, was trying to set up against the political prisoners against him.

According to Mr. Rubtsou, the prison authorities increased the pressure on other prisoners with this aim. In particular, they started to conduct personal searches more thoroughly and often close the so-called "Lenin room" [room for common activities, where there are usually placed tables, shelves for books, TV set - Ed.].

Yury also said that he was offered a job in Pruzhany as a driver, but the wage was that small that he did not agree to it. As previously stated by Yury Rubtsou, he wants to get paid not less than the national average - $600. The head of the special settlement registered this statement as a refusal to work at all, whereas Mr. Rubtsou insists that he refused only from this particular proposal.

The prisoner didn't have any other complaints during the talk and was speaking in quite a calm voice.

Bear in mind that on December 22 the civil society activist from Homel Yury Rubtsou was sentenced to 18 months of personal restraint for allegedly insulting Judge Kiryl Polulekh, and is serving his term in the special settlement in the village of Kuplin in the Pruzhany district.