Andrei Sharenda: Lukashenka Fears Brave Ones, Because He's Coward Himself

There is only one way to release political prisoners.

On August 23, activist of the European Belarus civil campaign, political prisoner Palina Sharenda-Panasiuk went on hunger strike, completely refusing to eat.

The husband of the political prisoner, Andrei Sharenda, told Charter97.org why Palina decided to take this step and how to influence the situation with prisoners of conscience in Belarus:

- On August 21, Palina was suddenly transferred from the Homel pre-trial detention centre No. 3. For more than 24 hours we did not know where she was, but finally, with the help of her lawyer, we managed to find out that Palina was transferred to the Rechytsa TDF for alleged investigative actions.

The lawyer visited her a few days ago, and it turned out that the criminal case against Palina was indeed completed and she was finally charged. This is article 411 part 1, under which Palina is facing another year in a penal colony.

It also became known that investigators and special services deliberately put Palina in very difficult conditions. Not only were all her personal belongings and food that she had brought with her taken from her when she arrived at the TDF, but she was also placed in a cell with very poor living conditions. There was no washbasin, no mattress, no bedding. Also the cell was in very bad condition, there were insects and a lot of bedbugs.

Palina protested against such conditions, even the death penalty prisoners are not kept in such conditions, and Palina is under investigation, there should be proper conditions. In protest against the actions of law enforcers Palina went on hunger strike, she has been on hunger strike against these strict conditions in which she is kept for exactly one week. It also became known that the case has already been transferred to the prosecutor's office, the next trial will be held in Rechytsa in the next month.

- What is now known about Palina's condition?

- It is obvious that now the main task of the special services is to break her, they are doing everything to make it happen. Palina is holding on, but it is clear that she has suffered a lot lately. Over the last year she spent more than 200 days in the solitary confinement and in the punishment cell, it is a very severe test for the organism. And the hunger strike that Polina is on now may affect her health. Therefore, I take this opportunity to call on all international humanitarian organisations to monitor Palina's condition, disseminate information and do everything possible to ensure that she receives medical assistance and is released as soon as possible.

I also call on all international politicians not to accept the fact that there is actually a concentration camp in the centre of Europe where women are killed and tortured. There should be a harsh response to this - it is only through pressure that political prisoners can be released, only by strengthening sanctions. Lukashenka's regime should be a complete pariah in the civilised world.

- How can common Belarusians help Palina?

- Any support is important - you can write a complaint or enquiry about her condition to the police department of Rechytsa district, you can write letters. Unfortunately, it is not clear where Palina will be kept now. Palina's only demand is to be transferred to human conditions, as she refuses to be kept in the conditions of the Rechytsa temporary detention centre, this is her main demand. I hope that in the next few days this demand will be fulfilled, and then it will be possible to write letters, send parcels and make money transfers to Palina again. This is a very big support for a person who is in prison.

- What is the reason for such increased pressure on Palina?

- Actually, Lukashenka has stated many times that he is not at war with women, but in fact it is not so. The dictator is afraid of brave and courageous people, because he is a coward himself. The system is ordered to break a man, and this is the goal of the special services - to break our national leaders.

There is no information about Mikalai Statkevich for more than 200 days, Pavel Seviarynets has been transferred to a closed prison, Siarhei Tsikhanouski has also been in prison in unclear conditions for a long time, we know nothing about the state of health of Viktar Babaryka. The same methods are used against Palina; the special services have the task to break her, to isolate her completely.

Unfortunately, we, the Belarusians, allow it so far by putting up with it. The whole world community allows it by not imposing proper sanctions so far. And while this is happening, Lukashenka can do anything he wants with political prisoners. I urge everyone not to put up with this and do everything possible to make it stop.

We remind that Palina Sharenda-Panasiuk, a mother of two children, has been behind bars since January 3, 2021. She was punished with two years of imprisonment under three articles of the Criminal Code: Article 368 of the Criminal Code ("Insulting Lukashenka"), Article 369 ("Insulting a representative of the authorities"), Article 364 ("Violence or threat of violence against an employee of the internal affairs bodies").