Kim had less time to gather his belongings than Parsyukevich and Kazulin – only 7 minutes
The release of political prisoners Syarhei Parsyukevich and Andrei Kim was expected to happen any day after the release of Alyaksandr Kazulin on Saturday. It happened on Wednesday, August 20. Kazulin gave a press conference on that day and the news appeared when it was over. The release proves Lukashenka’s intention to get closer to the West and the other people accused in “the case of 14” are encouraged to demand an amnesty which will mean they will have no remarks about previous convictions in their documents. Syarhei Parsyukevіch was released from Minsk colony #1 where he was supposed to spend 2.5 years very quickly, like Kazulin who was almost made to leave prison in his underwear. Syarhei is okay now. He had only 20 minuets to gather his belongings after the head of the colony had informed him about the President’s pardon decree:
Parsyukevіch: I was simply thrown out from the colony and I was not ready. I am in a battle mood, everything is okay. It is the beginning of my way!
Syarhei will have to give up his business although he protected the right to do it in Minsk in winter. He was sentenced to 2.5 years of imprisonment for it. He is going to apply his efforts in the field of politics.
Parsyukevіch: I have chosen the main direction of my activities – politics.
The mother of Andrei Kim (Tatstsyana Andreyeuna) who was sentenced to 1.5 years of imprisonment got to know about the release of her son right after Kazulin’s press conference. She was very anxious and was waiting for a phone call from her son who was being late on his way from Babruisk to Minsk. Friends and journalists were waiting for him near the lobby of his house but Andrei was laconic:
Kіm: I have been pardoned by Alyaksandr Ryhoravich Lukashenka. I was given a document informing about my release – a pardon of the President of the Republic of Belarus. I looked like a naughty prisoner being thrown away from the colony as I had only 7 minutes to gather my belongings. My night shift was over in the morning and I am very sleepy.
Then Andrei left representatives of the press and ran away to his mother. ERB has managed to contact a friend of his who was also accused in “the case of 14” – Alyaksei Bondar. He was sentenced to 2 years of imprisonment without having to stay in penal institutions. He is abroad now and was very glad to hear about the release of his friend and colleague. Alyaksei is going to strive for the vindication of all the people punished for participation in entrepreneurs’ actions in January.
Bondar: I will not consider it (the release of Kazulin, Parsyukevіch and Kim – author’s remark) a positive sign. I will demand an amnesty for all those who were accused in “the case of 14”.
Alyaksei Bondar calls the released the authorities’ hostages in relations with the West and is sure that the authorities have not changed.
A political scientist Yury Chavusau has supported the wide-spread idea that appeared after Kazulin’s release – everything is being made to eliminate obstacles to Lukashenka’s dialogue with the West.
Chavusau: “There is no doubt the step is forced. The Belarusian regime needs to establish contacts with the West to prolong its economic existence by attracting western investments, credits and political support”.
Having got to know about the release of Andrei Kim and having met Syarhei Parsyukevich, a former political prisoner Alyaksandr Kazulin told ERB that they would make an announcement soon and would struggle for the elimination of the very concept of political prisoners in Belarus.
Kazulіn: “It is very good and important that Andrei Kim and Syarhei Parsyukevіch are free. But we should not only care about certain people; we have to think about the rest because new political prisoners may appear in the future. We should eliminate the concept of political prisoners today; this is the most important thing”.
Parsyukevіch: I was simply thrown out from the colony and I was not ready. I am in a battle mood, everything is okay. It is the beginning of my way!
Syarhei will have to give up his business although he protected the right to do it in Minsk in winter. He was sentenced to 2.5 years of imprisonment for it. He is going to apply his efforts in the field of politics.
Parsyukevіch: I have chosen the main direction of my activities – politics.
The mother of Andrei Kim (Tatstsyana Andreyeuna) who was sentenced to 1.5 years of imprisonment got to know about the release of her son right after Kazulin’s press conference. She was very anxious and was waiting for a phone call from her son who was being late on his way from Babruisk to Minsk. Friends and journalists were waiting for him near the lobby of his house but Andrei was laconic:
Kіm: I have been pardoned by Alyaksandr Ryhoravich Lukashenka. I was given a document informing about my release – a pardon of the President of the Republic of Belarus. I looked like a naughty prisoner being thrown away from the colony as I had only 7 minutes to gather my belongings. My night shift was over in the morning and I am very sleepy.
Then Andrei left representatives of the press and ran away to his mother. ERB has managed to contact a friend of his who was also accused in “the case of 14” – Alyaksei Bondar. He was sentenced to 2 years of imprisonment without having to stay in penal institutions. He is abroad now and was very glad to hear about the release of his friend and colleague. Alyaksei is going to strive for the vindication of all the people punished for participation in entrepreneurs’ actions in January.
Bondar: I will not consider it (the release of Kazulin, Parsyukevіch and Kim – author’s remark) a positive sign. I will demand an amnesty for all those who were accused in “the case of 14”.
Alyaksei Bondar calls the released the authorities’ hostages in relations with the West and is sure that the authorities have not changed.
A political scientist Yury Chavusau has supported the wide-spread idea that appeared after Kazulin’s release – everything is being made to eliminate obstacles to Lukashenka’s dialogue with the West.
Chavusau: “There is no doubt the step is forced. The Belarusian regime needs to establish contacts with the West to prolong its economic existence by attracting western investments, credits and political support”.
Having got to know about the release of Andrei Kim and having met Syarhei Parsyukevich, a former political prisoner Alyaksandr Kazulin told ERB that they would make an announcement soon and would struggle for the elimination of the very concept of political prisoners in Belarus.
Kazulіn: “It is very good and important that Andrei Kim and Syarhei Parsyukevіch are free. But we should not only care about certain people; we have to think about the rest because new political prisoners may appear in the future. We should eliminate the concept of political prisoners today; this is the most important thing”.
