Correctional colony No. 3 in Vitsba township of Vitebsk district is considered the most "elitist" in Belarus - high-ranking civil servants, prosecutors, judges and policemen serve their terms there.

But after the events of 2020, this colony was filled with political prisoners.

The former prisoner told "Viasna" about the living and working conditions in "Vitba".

Conditions in SHIZA

According to a former prisoner, in the correctional colony No. 3, the main and most common way of putting pressure on political prisoners is to place them in penal isolation cells (SHIZA):

"SHIZA has created such conditions that put a lot of pressure on the psyche.

The cell has a window with "shrubs" - you can't look through it.

The bunks, which are folded down only for the night, are made of iron along the contour and boards.

There is no mattress there - you sleep on the boards.

It is very cold there.

The cold is, I believe, the main torture there.

They don't give out warm clothes at SHIZA, you go there in an ordinary cotton robe.

And you are constantly in this cold, and nothing can be done."

SEE ALSO: "After liberation, I did not feel free."

A conversation with a former political prisoner about torture in the colony

Conditions in the special order

In "Vitba" there is a special unit 2-11 with the harshest conditions.

Previously, it held convicts under narcotics article 328 of the Criminal Code:

"The conditions in the special forces are much worse than in other forces.

There are shabby walls, old uncomfortable beds, living conditions at a low level.

Difficult people and some political prisoners - "the most inveterate" - are now held there.

There are about 20 people there, among them the activist of "European Belarus"

Maksim Vinyarsky

and the blogger

Siarhei Pyatrukhin

.

Prisoners from this unit are sent only to disassemble wire and assemble metal.

This is considered the most difficult work in the colony."

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What happens to Belarusian political prisoners after their release

Work in the colony

In the correctional colony No. 3, prisoners work in a sewing shop, woodworking and metal dismantling.

The former prisoner spoke about the working conditions:

"At the "seamstress" they don't pay anything.

Prisoners work in two shifts.

The first shift is from 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. six days a week, the second shift is from 5 p.m. to 10 p.m. five days a week.

Recently, military uniforms for Russians have been sewn there in large quantities.

Before, there was still sawing of firewood, but now everyone who was there was sent to dismantle metal.

Employees of the colony set a standard that is impossible to fulfill, for example, to clean 30 kilograms of aluminum or 10 kilograms of copper or lead in a day.

This is slave labor - the prisoners have no choice there."

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Access to medicine

The ex-prisoner also notes problems with access to medical care.

In the medical department, there is such an arrangement that political prisoners are given sick leave only in extreme cases:

"Political prisoners are not given help there.

Many people were told: "Sorry, because of your article, we cannot give you sick leave."

If you don't feel well, you won't get sick leave just like that."

SEE ALSO: Relatives of the convicted journalist Satsuko said that his health has deteriorated, he is not given the necessary medicine in the pre-trial detention center

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