Political prisoner Vaskovich meets with mother first time in four years

Yahen Vaskovich was allowed to have a short-term visit for the first time in four years.

Ryshaniya Vaskovich, the mother of the political prisoner, says he son lost weight. He tried not to eat much during the visit, so she had to take a half of her parcel back, Yauhen Vaskovich's mother told Radio Svaboda.

“He thanks all people. He reads a lot and receives newspapers. He has many books, but we are going to send him some more. So, he has things to do. He says he gets tired at work and has spare time only in the evening. He cannot write a lot of letters and asks not to take offence if he doesn't answer.”

Yauhen works at a sewing shop.

“He sews jackets. It's possible that he will be granted early release for absence of violations and implementation of the plan. He tries hard,” she says.

Asked if her son was offered to apply for a pardon, Rushaniya answered they tried not to speak about it.

“He said he would try hard to be released early for good behaviour. I answered it's up to him to decide,” Rushaniya Vaskovich says.

It was the first visit in the four years. The political prisoner's mother says it wasn't very emotional and they tried not to upset each other.

“We are strong people. We already cried a lot. He knows that I try not to cry. It will be painful for him if I cry. I will visit him again and bring him a parcel in April. I brought him so much food this time. I thought he would eat it all,” she says.

Yauhen Vaskovich, a journalist, member of the Belarusian Association of Journalists (BAJ) and activist of the organising committee to create the Belarusian Christian party (BCD), was arrested on January 17, 2011. On 18 May 2011, he was sentenced to 7 years in a medium security correctional facility for an attempt to put the doors of the KGB office in Babruisk on fire on 17 October 2010 (hooliganism, part 2 of article 339 of the Criminal Code) and inflicting damage to property on a large scale (part 3 of article 218 of the Criminal Code). Confinement conditions were toughened for him on October 12, 2011. Vaskovich was transferred from correctional facility No. 15 in Mahilou to prison No. 4 in Mahilou. He returned to correctional facility No. 15 in Mahilou on October 12, 2014.