Maxim Viniarski: We Need To Continue Picketing

The struggle for Kurapaty must continue.

Activist of the European Belarus civil campaign Maxim Viniarski has been released from the Akrestsin Street detention center, having served a 10-day administrative detention for picketing the “Let’s Go Eat” restaurant. The aggregate term of his administrative detentions this year is 50 days, the total amount being 424 days.

The Radio Liberty correspondent met with Maxim Viniarski right after the latter’s release from the detention center, and recorded 10 his brightest quotations.

- Nothing has changed either in the Minsk temporary detention facility, or in the Akrestsin Street detention center for this year. The same two-level plank beds, the same overcrowded cells, in which there is a lack or water, or light, or all together.

- Pressure, dirt, attempts to humiliate one way or another – all the same. This is an ordinary approach to political prisoners in all dictatorships – those who dare to defend own views should be held in jail.

- It doesn’t matter whether a prison guard addressed to you in a polite manner or not, whether they brought a better or a worse portion of porridge. Anyway, it’s pressure against political activists, including those who are defending Kurapaty.

- 50 days of detention already this year, and more than a year in total – this is how much time I spent behind the bars. Herein, I have never been subjected to criminal liability under the Criminal Code.

- I believe that the pickets [near the “Let’s Go eat” restaurant] should be continued. Moreover, they should be in the most active form – when automobiles are not allowed to the territory. All the rest – explanations, touchy conversations with the visitors, handing out leaflets about Kurapaty – this is good, but only as an addition. Conversations alone will not bring effect, and the sense of the watch will be lost to a certain extent.

- As for me, the participants of the watch should act in one and the same format, otherwise there will be no effect either.

- We have no independent judges, this becomes obvious at all political trials.

- For example, the only thing the judge wanted at my last trial was to get it over with as soon as possible. He considered no petitions, ignored the testimonies of witnesses. He was given an order, and followed it.

- They ordered the judge so that Novy Chas would win the lawsuit over Israilevich – and so it happened. The next order could be different.

-Therefore, our struggle for Kurapaty must go on, I have seen no concessions so far. I will participate in this struggle till I can fight.