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There was a stench in the unit, there were no showers, the toilets were opposite each other"

Marina (name changed for security reasons. - RS) was recently released from the Gomel women's colony.

There she stayed in different detachments with different conditions.

As Marina says, she got into the best squad after an illness.

The administration transferred her there so that the woman could recover better.

"The fifth squad is the best, indicative of the conditions.

Daily shower, good renovation, spacious, huge kitchen, separate room for clothes and shoes.

They (prisoned women. - RS) were sent there, as if to a sanatorium.

There were also those who were protected by "opers" (operational officers of the colony. - RS).

Those women who "collaborate" (report on other prisoners. - RS), says the former police prisoner.

According to Marina, different people sat in the fifth unit.

"Including one "political" one who cooperated with "opera".

She received many letters.

They didn't give me any," says the woman.

After the fifth, Marina was transferred to a unit with "terrible conditions".

"There was no soul there, there was a stench, I felt sick.

Old iron wash basin.

There were bed lice.

Toilets stood opposite each other in two rows.

You sit and stick your nose into other people's underwear.

To get out, you step over the knees of others, closing your eyes.

Because there are people who don't know what cleanliness and hygiene are," says the former prisoner.

Marina says that she worked at a sewing factory.

The first shift started at 8 in the morning.

Before that, there is a charge, a roll call.

After an organized trip to work.

The shift continues until 3 p.m.

Then return to the unit (separate dormitory for a group of prisoners. - RS).

"The factory is very noisy.

After an hour of being there, the head just bursts into pieces," says Marina.

According to the woman, the salaries of the prisoners are meager.

"There are two calculations.

One is official, where the numbers are bigger.

The second is real.

With a salary that is enough for three packs of the cheapest cigarettes.

This is simply the use of slave labor.

And they (employees of the colony. - RS) are treated accordingly - like slaves.

Controllers yell.

They force them to comply with production standards invented by them.

For failure to fulfill the plan, they fight and are punished," says Marina.

"Katya Andreeva was first thrown into the "press squad"

Ekaterina Andreeva

(a journalist released from prison, an employee of the Belsat TV channel - RS), as Marina says, was first assigned to the so-called "press squad".

Tatsiana Kanevskaya and Antonina Kanovalova passed through it.

Sofya Sapega is there now.

She is being hard-pressed, and has been for a long time.

I would also like to note that there were such cases in the colony: one "political" team cooperated with the "opera".

Another one flirted with a criminal and made fun of other "political" girls.

And another one, who is sitting allegedly because of politics, for "insulting", said such things to us that even GUBAZiK seems more humane," said Marina.

"It was very difficult for Katya.

She is a sensitive person, it was difficult for her to cope with the moral pressure of the crowd of marginal individuals.

She was afraid of them.

Kati forbade relations with us.

Only occasionally they could exchange words.

She barely held back her tears and said that it was difficult for her to bear this pressure," said the former convict.

"When Kateryna was given a term, she returned to the colony and was assigned to the best unit.

But at the factory, she didn't even look in our direction, because she was intimidated.

When Katya was still in the "press squad", in the first term, provocations were made against her.

According to the "operational curator", his name is Aleksandar Kuznetsov.

Kuznyatsov was helped by one female criminal, the swindler Tatsiana G. At the opera's behest, she threw Tatsiana Kanevskaya's notebook to Katya Andreeva.

As a result, both of them were "hung up".

Kanevskaya was thrown into SHIZA.

Later, she was transferred to a closed prison.

Katya received an extortion and further abuse from the colony's employees," says Marina.

According to her, Tatsiana G. stole products from another "political" shop.

"The administration did not react to this, only laughed and made fun of the "political" one," says the former prisoner.

"In order to "hang" another fine on Katya, the controller slipped a pill into her pocket.

She didn't even throw it up, but pretended to take a pill out of her pocket with the words: "Oh, a pill."

The girls saw that the controller was holding this pill in her hand before reaching into Katya's pocket.

Katya received another punishment, the controller received an award for good pressing," she added.

"One "politician" was ordered to write an essay on the topic "Genocide of the Belarusian people"

Aksana (name changed. - RS) has also already served her sentence in the Gomel women's colony and was released.

"Political, of course, is the worst in the colony.

There sat a woman who participated in the murders, so she was "respected" by the administration.

She did not receive fines, but only incentives.

If an "ordinary" convict can simply have a "preventive interview" for violations, then for political ones it will be unequivocally SHIZA.

Moreover, the controllers practiced it actively.

One of them even bragged to us that she receives bonuses for recovery - 35 rubles per report.

If you put a person in the SHIZA, then she will have 70 rubles for it," says Oksana.

According to the woman, it is very easy for political prisoners to get fined.

"Rise at six o'clock.

If the "political" gets up earlier - penalty.

If you are late even for a minute - penalty.

Some tried to get up earlier to have time to wash or go to the toilet.

It was possible for criminals, but not for politicians.

Controllers strictly monitored.

I knew one politician who was fined because she did not write an essay on the topic "Genocide of the Belarusian people" on the order of the colony's staff, Oksana said.

"You say something "wrong" - immediately the criminals run to the front to inform the "opera""

Oksana says that if murderers and swindlers had long-term meetings of three days, political meetings were no longer than two days.

They could punish, cancel a meeting with loved ones.

"There are such standards at the factory that it is simply impossible to fulfill them.

Therefore, if the shift started at eight, they went until six in the morning in order to fulfill the norms.

If the shift started at 2 p.m., they went until 10 a.m.

They received both one ruble and five.

But they could, having worked out the norm, even get 70 rubles.

However, this is rare," says Oksana.

According to her, the factory sewed different uniforms for rescue workers, the police, and the military.

"They sewed bulletproof vests.

Military stretchers for transporting the wounded were recently sewn in aural mode.

I don't know if it's for Belarusians or Russians," she added.

"Last year there was such a deception.

Everyone was forced to write petitions for pardon and strongly pressured: "Write, write."

Some even began to hope for release and wrote.

But everyone got rejections, of course.

Since February, they stopped sending letters.

Controllers mocked and said: "No one writes to you, everyone has forgotten about you," says Oksana.

She says that the moral pressure on politicians is there "every minute".

"I didn't stand up like that, I didn't sit down like that.

Checks, "shmons" happen very often.

Controllers are coming to turn everything upside down.

Or, for example, a smoker, and some female criminal is immediately rummaging in the garbage, looking for a cigarette butt.

Kind of a pity for the man.

Give a cigarette and you will be fined for it.

Because according to their "rules" there was "alienation of property", - explains the former prisoner.

According to Oksana, many criminals report "opera".

They get cigarettes for that.

"If you say something 'wrong', they run headlong to the "opera" to report it.

Often the "opera" calls you for a conversation.

Asks stupid, as I think, questions.

"How do you feel about the coat of arms, the flag, and the president?".

All that nonsense.

This is how they "re-educate," says the former police prisoner.

She believes that reports, fines and SHIZO for political purposes are also used to get people out of the colony with "supervision".

"This means that you must be at home from 10:00 PM to 6:00 AM for a year after your release, do not visit entertainment facilities, and report to the police.

Of course, you will not go abroad.

The police often come to check in the middle of the night," Oksana added.

"It's very cold in the winter in the factory, but very hot in the summer"

In the Gomel women's colony, the journalist

Daria Chultsova

, who was arrested along with Ekaterina Andreeva along with Kateryna Andreeva, was arrested for the stream from the "Square of Changes".

She also worked at a sewing factory.

"Wages are low at the factory there.

I received 32 rubles.

We were ordered: "We need to work harder."

But they also calculated a lot - for electricity, food and so on.

Most of the people in the colony sit with lawsuits.

That's why they get pennies," says the journalist.

According to her, it is very hot at the factory in summer.

"Because, in addition to the heat, the cars also get very hot.

And you are obliged to sit in an apron and a kerchief.

Sometimes they were allowed to take off their aprons.

Controllers come and tell them to put on aprons.

We say that the regime official gave us permission.

But you won't argue, because you will go to SHIZO," says Darya.

It is cold in the factory in winter.

"Last winter, at least the heating was turned on, before it was not there at all.

But it's still cold.

You can't wear anything "extra" on yourself, because you "break the shape".

They were also arrested on the denunciation of burglars.

They can report that you washed your hair "at the wrong time" or treated someone with a cigarette, but this should not be done.

Or "ate an apple in an illegal place."

You can't bring anything, neither food, nor things into the factory (from the detachment. - RS), the journalist added.