The One Who Remained Free

A Belarusian political prisoner is the person of the year, decade, century.

Two years ago, at this very place and at this very time, I wrote another column for my beloved Charter. It was December 2020. The number of political prisoners was still in the hundreds, not thousands, at 23.34 on December 31, our cities exploded with salutes and fireworks, white-red-white light bulbs were flashing in the windows, and in the morning of January 1, groups of people with flags walked happily under the windows and shouted “Long live Belarus!”.

It was a different country — not the same as in August, not the same as ten years ago, not the same as now, two years later. I only now realize that in different periods of our contemporary history we complained in vain that nothing is happening in Belarus: the country is changing rapidly. Yes, in this period of time — exclusively for the worse, but it definitely does not stand still. I will not repeat once again that we have to pay such a terrible price, without bargaining, for the future of our children. We all know this. And we are paying, saying under our breath “keep the change”. I'm not talking about that at all.

Two years ago I wrote: if you want to see the person of the year, look in the mirror. Two years later, I want to say: yes, buddy, you are still there, in that mirror, and thank you for everything you do. Thank you for having managed to leave and escape from prison, and now you are helping the Armed Forces of Ukraine and the relatives of those who did not manage to escape. Thank you for staying in Belarus and continuing to do what you can, risking yourself every hour and every minute. Thank you for being in prison, and from there helping us to believe in victory. Thanks everyone.

Only now, on the eve of the coming year, let's move a little bit in front of this mirror and give way to the current person of the year. He, like you and me, has many names and faces. He is one of us. The person of the year is a Belarusian political prisoner. With their courage, bravery, inflexibility and thirst for victory. They help us survive, teach us how not to go crazy in this monstrous reality, to which war has been added this year. They, deprived of almost everything that is the basic needs of a person outside the prison walls, does not give up and does not lose heart. And they believe in victory, no matter how long the prison term that the government awards them is — for services to the Fatherland.

A Belarusian political prisoner receives a Nobel Prize like Ales Bialiatski.

A Belarusian political prisoner writes wonderful poems, like Maksim Viniarski.

A Belarusian political prisoner laughs even in a prison hospital bed, like Maryja Kalesnikava.

A Belarusian political prisoner resists and gets a new term, like Viktoryja Kulsha.

A Belarusian political prisoner translates into Belarusian the anthem of the Liverpool football club, like Andrei Aliaksandrau.

A Belarusian political prisoner writes fairy tales for his little child, like Andrei Skurko.

A Belarusian political prisoner scornfully refuses to talk to their superiors, like Palina Sharenda-Panasyuk.

A Belarusian political prisoner draws cars for his son and churches for his wife, like Pavel Seviarynets.

A Belarusian political prisoner, while being in a punishment cell, feeds the rats that come under the window from his meager rations and calls them his farm animals, like Mikalai Statkevich.

A Belarusian political prisoner writes “Long live Belarus!” in the prison diary, like Alena Lazarchyk.

A Belarusian political prisoner creates an art community in prison, like Ales Pushkin.

A Belarusian political prisoner defeats the system, like each of them. Because even in the most difficult conditions they turn out to be stronger and freer.

A Belarusian political prisoner is the person of the year, decade, century. Unlike their executioners, they remained free.

Iryna Khalip, exclusively for Charter97.org

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