Ihar Alinevich: The best wish is be yourself

• 13.01.2014, 15:36

The political prisoner sent his mother a letter from the Navapolatsk correctional colony.

Valiantsina Alinevich gives extracts from her son's letter to charter97.org:

“The year 2014 has finally come. The very number reminds us science fiction:)

The visit was too short: one day is too little time. But perhaps it's good that many things were not discussed. It allows to remember the most important things. I received many New Year's wishes. From the newspapers Novy Chas and Svobodnye Novosti, ambassadors of foreign states. I continue to receive congratulations. I had a salad, herring and marinated honey mushrooms with onion and oil for a New Year's dinner. You can't imagine how tasty it is (if you eat it once a year). The room was decorated with paper snowflakes. I fixed Antoshka's [his nephew] drawing near the table.

As you can see, prison differs from the financial and legal point of view, but interpersonal relations and personal development remain the same. It's not important where you are, it's important how you feel. There are people who are sick of 'freedom', who don't know how to occupy themselves, who remain on the lowest level of human needs.

Solzhenitsyn wrote the essence of a person, his evaluation of actions and world perception are getting ground and polished in prison. Even a war cannot do it. I write it to explain why I don't look forward to the release. It will be just a transfer from one state of non-freedom into another.

A border between prison and 'freedom' has steps leading to both sides. The 'freedom' itself... Well, quotation marks speak for themselves. Don't wait for me so much. Imagine that I am in a sort of a foreign legion, which is strict, but is a part of my life that cannot be crossed out and will remain with me forever.

The best with is BE YOURSELF!”

Ihar Alinevich was kidnapped and arrested by the Belarusian secret services in Moscow in November 2010. He was tried in May 2011. Ihar Alinevich was sentenced to 8 years in prison for participation in a anti-military procession near the General Staff building and carrying out attacks on the embassy of Russia, banks and a casino.