Political prisoner Parsiukevich kept in quarantine department of Shklou colony

12.06.2008. Tags: political prisoners, entrepreneurs, Parsiukevich.
Source: Human Rights Alliance.

The lawyer Vera Stramkouskaya has met with her client, political prisoner Siarhei Parsiukevich, kept in the quarantine department of Shklou colony. He will be kept in the quarantine till 16 June.

On 23 April Parsiukevich was sentenced to 2.5 years of jail on charges in beating a policeman while serving a 15-day arrest term for participation in the action of protest of entrepreneurs. During this time Parsiukevich was on a hunger-strike of protest.

The lawyer thusly described the conditions in which Parsiukevich has to live: ‘At present he is kept in a barrack, where almost 70 persons are kept together with him. The conditions which he described cause surprise and regret: there are only eight chairs and four benches for these 70 people, they cannot even have a rest. The washing day is once a week: there are four taps with water and they have to stand in line for water and cannot even wash themselves. There are only 15 minutes for taking food and the people do not manage to eat, because everything is hot: sup, porridge and kissel. They eat burning their lips and throats. The shirt which was issued to him, is too small, but there’s nothing to replace it with. Besides, the prisoners cannot use the rooms where they could store their belongings, because the guards don’t have enough time to bringing them there individually.’

According to Vera Stramkouskaya, Siarhei Parsiukevich asked her to pass his gratitude to all those who sent him letters of support. He is especially thankful to those who subscribed him to independent Belarusian press.