Prisoner Hanged Himself In Shklou Colony's Punishment Cell

The administration threatened the prisoner that they would transfer him to a covered prison again on much tougher terms.

The 26-years-old Mikhail T. hanged himself in a cell of the Shklou colony № 17. The tragedy happened on January 15.

Radio Racyja has leant this from the former political prisoner Nikita Likhavid, who is providing legal assistance to prisoners of Belarusian colonies and prisons, after his release from the colony, where he was kept for participation in the Square 2010.

According to Nikita Likhavid, information about the death of the prisoner was confirmed by someone from Shklou colony, whom he can not name.

"It is known, that this happened in a jail cell. He hanged himself sitting, he hooked a rope around a central heating radiator and so hanged himself. As someone who has been in such conditions, I can say that this is possible," – Nikita Likhavid said.

It is known, that Mikhail T. Was serving 12 years in jail for a murder. Before the incident he had spent a few years in a prison as he refused to sign papers declaring that he was ready to mend his ways. However, he signed them later and returned to the Shklou colony to serve the remain of his prison term.

According to the human rights defender, Mikhail T. was threatened that he would be sent back to the prison. As sources in the colony believe, the prisoner responded to these threats by suicide.

Colonel Charnou, who is on duty in the Department of Corrections of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of the Republic of Belarus neither confirmed nor denied the information about the suicide of the prisoner Tarasevich in Shklou colony.

"I cannot say anything. Address the leadership via a formal request for acquiring this information," – the colonel replied to the journalists.

In the beginning of 2016, prisoner Yahor Pratasenia made an attempt to hang himself in Zhozina prison. Before attempting suicide, he informed his relatives that he was abused by the police officers who allegedly had falsified his case against him. As a result, the young man fell into a coma and died 3 months later, never having regained consciousness. Inspection performed by the Interior Ministry and the IC found no signs of bringing Yahor Pratasenia to suicide.