"In the indictment they wrote that in September I blocked traffic in August"

Danila Goncharov

lived in Minsk.

He graduated from BSU with a master's degree in biosciences.

But he worked not as a specialist, but as a lighting artist at the New Drama Theater.

In the summer and fall of 2020, Danilo participated in the "Honest People" initiative, supported the theater strike.

In March 2021, Danila was detained for a solitary picket.

They gave 15 days.

Then they opened a criminal case for participation in protest marches.

In July 2021, the court sentenced the artist to two years in prison.

"Evidence?

For example, in the indictment they wrote that I blocked traffic in August in September.

I pointed out to the investigator that I do not have the ability to travel in time.

But the accusation was not even corrected.

It went to court.

They do not care about such "inaccuracies".

Did they quote my correspondence with a person where I claim that extremist behavior is unacceptable for us.

But his "extremist" answers are attributed to me," says Danila.

"We need to accept their rules of conduct on Vladarka"

The former police prisoner says that there were neither witnesses nor victims at the closed court.

"But no one cares about that.

They decided to plant, so it will be.

Formally caught up on pictures on the phone and in the media.

Although I didn't riot, I didn't block traffic," says the former prisoner.

He met various people in the pre-trial detention center on Volodarskyi.

"At that time, there were more "drug addicts" than anyone else, that is, those who were imprisoned under Article 328. After that, there were political and various swindlers.

Gray schemes or non-payment of taxes.

And 10% are other prisoners.

I will not say that it was too good there.

But in retrospect, Voladarko is just a paradise compared to the colony.

Just in order to sit "normally", you had to accept their rules of the game.

For example, someone complained that they didn't like the cups.

Well, they issued aluminum ones.

Or someone wrote that you can take a shower for a chocolate bar.

And this opportunity disappeared," says the former prisoner.

Danila Goncharov in 2020 at the protests in Minsk

Danila notes that there is a good library on "Voladarka".

There are many books, including in English, on programming, and world classics.

"If you don't drive yourself into a depressed state, then basically, there is nothing," the Belarusian added.

"It will be bad in the colony if you or your loved ones write complaints or something comes out in the media"

In colony No. 17 in Shklov, Danila, like other political prisoners, wore a yellow tag and was on preventive registration.

This means careful attention from the administration, operational staff.

Also more inspections and charges.

"There was such an episode that we were late.

However, this delay was provoked by the administration.

But I wrote in the explanation that yes, I was late.

Others began to wriggle out.

They were punished.

They treated me loyally.

Fight in the colony, on their territory?

Is it just to accept the rules of the game.

Otherwise, you will get a new term for "disobedience".

If the relatives care too much about the prisoner, write complaints, raise issues in the media, then they only make the convict worse.

Such an example.

It appeared in the media that the convict left the colony after SHIZA.

And the administration decided to put all political prisoners in SHIZA before release.

So that, apparently, the words do not differ from the case", - suggests Danila.

He came to the conclusion from his observations that there is no specific system of punishments there.

"Some people organize whole debates about, say, the situation in Ukraine, and they get nothing for it.

The other will say three words - and he will be thrown into the SHIZA.

But about 40%, according to my observations, take a position on the side of Russia.

Propaganda does its job.

And not Belarusian propaganda.

No one looks at her, even the employees spit on her.

Everyone is watching Russian propaganda.

And I see that it has a significant impact on people's worldview.

From the Belarusian news, they only watched what was related to the amnesty," recalls the former prisoner.

"Even among the "political" there are those who cooperate with the administration"

Danila says that not all "political" people are like that in reality.

"Because there are a lot of random people.

Those who do not know the history of Belarus, do not know the situation, do not understand some processes.

But did they really "pass by" and get into the mills of the system, or did they write something on the Internet without thinking.

They come to the colony and honestly do not understand what they were imprisoned for.

I am personally very sorry and hurt when these are young guys.

It hurts me that their youth will pass in these walls and they don't even understand what they were punished for.

It's a pity that the government does this to young people," says the former police prisoner.

He noted that even "political" ones can cooperate with the administration.

For example, conveying "opera".

"With such suspicions, we removed them from our community.

And they saw that it worked - less information went to the "opera".

There are such "political", random people who said that Svetlana Tsikhanovskaya had a program to destroy the Russian language.

Or people who followed a pro-Russian position.

This indicates that the government took not only those who were involved in political processes, but those whom it got its hands on," says Danilo.

"They sewed a military uniform"

In the colony, Danilo worked at a sewing factory.

He says that he earned "well by the standards of the colony."

It is 15-20 rubles.

"We sewed military uniforms for the Belarusian military.

And bed linen.

Judging by the "VS RF" marking on the fabric, this underwear could have been made to the order of the Russian Federation.

But I cannot say that they were "sewing to the front".

Because even before, as far as I know, the colony fulfilled sewing orders for Russia.

I liked the work, to be honest," said the former prisoner.

He, like many prisoners, faced problems with his teeth.

"Health is deteriorating there.

And often the teeth "fly" first.

Even as a biologist, I will not say what it is connected with.

In principle, you can buy cottage cheese in the store, and relatives send vitamins to the prisoners.

The food there is so-so, but you can eat.

They gave eggs.

Let the cabbage be tasteless, but cooked in such a way that it does not lose its useful qualities," shares Danilo.

The former political prisoner tells why he was sent to SHIZA.

"It's easy.

They stand behind you inconspicuously for several minutes.

Then they will accuse me of not saying hello.

I had that.

Will they stand behind you and wait for you to change your clothes.

Then they will say: "Why are you out of shape?" Formal grounds are enough to throw you on the SHIZA.

But in fact, they are sent to SHIZA for the wrong reason.

For example, there was a denunciation of the "opera" against you.

But you will be imprisoned not for the reported conversations, but for the fact that you didn't say hello, didn't shave or something else," says the former prisoner.

Family and friends helped him get through difficult times.

Until February 2022, Danila, like many prisoners, received letters "not from relatives."

After February, such correspondence stopped completely.

"I sincerely believed that Belarusian society would unite"

Danila says that in the colony he lived with the belief that Belarusian society would strengthen in proportion to the pressure of the authorities and the growth of repression.

"I sincerely believed that the Belarusian society would unite.

I believed that I would go out and see a real struggle against Russian aggression.

But he came out - and the rose-colored glasses fell off me very quickly.

I found out that now I have more friends and acquaintances in Warsaw than in Minsk.

I talked with those in Minsk, and I had doubts about the unity of our society.

He did not talk to his entourage, for statistics.

And he was upset.

I understand that a democratic society must support pluralism of thought.

But what I see is not pluralism.

This is a misunderstanding of what is happening, and a misunderstanding of the place of Belarus and Belarusians in all this.

That learned helplessness that was dropped in 2020 by us is back and reigning.”

Danila, although he had a travel ban, decided to leave.

He did it illegally.

Now he is in Warsaw and looking for a job.

Danila Goncharov after moving to Warsaw

"Would they take me to the theater in Minsk?

In scientific activity?

They destroyed the private theater sector.

It was hinted to me that I did not serve much.

But I do not believe that such a sacrifice of mine is necessary now.

I do not want to repeat this experience.

He probably wouldn't send even an enemy there.

If you're being watched, you're being watched, because I'm on the record - what kind of activities could I do inside the country?", says the former prisoner.

He believes that the Belarusian diaspora in Poland "does not use 100% of its potential."

"We could create a wonderful country in exile.

I'm not going to put down roots here.

But I don't want to fall into the trap of an emigrant who is "about to go home".

While I am looking for a job, I see that the Belarusian theater community in Poland needs development.

Maybe I will contribute to this," added Danilo.

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