Maxim Viniarski: Huge Solidarity Was Felt Even In Prisons
6- 13.09.2025, 22:31
- 10,360
The coordinator of the civic "European Belarus" gave his first interview after his release.
Coordinator of the civil campaign "European Belarus" Maksim Viniarski was among the political prisoners, who were released by the Belarusian authorities on September 11 and taken to the Lithuanian border.
The opposition politician told the website Charter97.org about his first emotions at freedom:
- I was overwhelmed by a great feeling of being able to realize what I could not do for these five years. For five years I couldn't openly tell people how grateful I am for their solidarity, for being with us, for fighting so that we political prisoners could go free and see this sky again, see this grass, breathe fresh air. It's an insane feeling of gratitude, because correspondence is limited, there is no way to convey how happy you are that there are people who care, who remember, who know, who want you to endure, to go free.
At last you can hug everyone, everyone wants to say how happy you are to see them, to hear them, to read what they write about you or you. It is simply inexpressible happiness. A big heartfelt thank you to all the journalists, all the human rights activists who kept pushing until we got our release.
- Was the support you speak of felt in the zone, in the colonies, in the prisons? In what way was it manifested?
- As funny as it sounds, we saw the support by the behavior of those who guarded us, because they were very uncomfortable talking to us. After all, they know, the censor of the colony is aware of how many letters a person receives.
Operative officers know that the media writes about us, that we are remembered on the outside and realize that they can do nothing with the person who is backed by the society, who is backed by civil activists who do not stop at anything, even at the risk of going to jail next to us. They write letters, they support, they help relatives.
This came to us through the staff themselves, who some with a chuckle and some with envy said, "Holy shit, why don't you break, why don't you bend, why don't you apologize. I have nothing to apologize for. I apologize only to my relatives, who may have been worried about me, but I have done nothing criminal. I have nothing to repent for.
- You were actually deprived of Belarusian citizenship, sent abroad without a passport. How do you comment on it?
- In my opinion, it's a crime. People were stolen from the country, for the future of which they fought. This crime must be dealt with.
I know that, most likely, Nikolai Statkevich, who refused to leave his homeland, ended up in prison. I know that Pavel Seviarynets is still imprisoned in Hrodna prison right now. My friend and colleague Elena Lazarchuk is under strict regime in Rechitsa, thousands more Belarusians continue to be in inhuman conditions under the pressure of the dictatorship, under the pressure of the repressive regime.
Every one of us has a sacred opportunity to get back into the ranks and continue to fight for their release, to continue to fight for changes in our own country, in which the law should rule not the boss, but the law, and this law will have to be established by us. There is no other law, there are no other rights, except those that you are able to take yourself.
- And how to do it? Fight how? What can every person do, every patriot, every freedom fighter, so that all political prisoners could be released sooner? Keep pressing on every day, without stopping. Water sharpens stone, and each of us is capable of bringing freedom, right, dignity and honor to others and ourselves.
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