Ales Michalevic, nominated for the presidency of Belarus in the past elections in December 2010, stated at a press conference in Minsk on February 28 that he was tortured in the KGB remand prison. "KGB — is a concentration camp in the center of Minsk," said the politician.
Ales Michalevic was released from prison on recognizance not to leave and has no right to disclose information relating to the «case of December 19.» Despite this, the politician has decided to make such a claim as he believes that «must tell about what is happening to detainees and prisoners in the KGB jail,» reports Telegraf.
«I hope for the other former prisoners to do the same and break the KGB script. I think that the other prisoners, including economic ones, are being treated the same way,» said Ales Michalevic.
The politician said that he’s well aware of the possibility to be detained again and sent back to prison, but he did not intend to hide or leave the country. «I am a law-abiding citizen, and do not intend to leave Belarus,» said Ales Michalevic.
Mystery of Investigation «of Case on December 19» — «Working» Methods of KGB, Michalevic
«The core «secrecy of investigation» is the methods, used to coerce people to sign the required testify and statements. I believe that it’s unacceptable to cover the illegal actions, violating not only the Belarusian legislation, but the international agreements, including the International Convention against torture, by the «secrecy of investigation,» Ales Michalevic said in a statement.
Politician has sent his application to General Prosecutor of Belarus, as well as the Committee on Human Rights, on February 28. The politician said that he had handed over a detailed description of what had happened to him in jail to a «safe place.» «These certificates will appear in the public domain in case of my new detention and arrest,» said Ales Michalevic.
Ales Michalevic did not disclose the names of employees and other circumstances of investigation, but said that the KGB had already begun to apply torture on December 26.
«I refused to read out a statement, condemning the other candidates, on TV. KGB conducted questioning without lawyers, without protocol, thus violating the procedural rules. They confiscated my diary with every-day records, made there; but it is impossible to erase from memory what happened in those walls,» the politician said.
Former candidate said that all actions of the KGB aimed to «break the opposition leaders.» «For me, it was a choice between two options: either to remain in custody up to the trial or to pretend being ready to meet the requirements of the KGB,» said Ales Michalevic.
I’ve Never Been KGB Agent and I’m not Going to, Michalevic
According to the politician, the condition for his release was the signing of «cooperation agreement.» «I deliberately took this step, and it was not dictated by the pressure and torture, but the desire to convey information about what’s happening to the prisoners. I openly declare that I’ve never been a KGB agent and I’m not going to become so! I release myself from commitment, stated in the document, with my public statement,» said Ales Michalevic.
In his statement, Ales Michalevic described some forms of torture, applied to him in the KGB jail and in jail at Valadarski Street in Minsk. According to the politician, the KGB jail carried out personal searches of prisoners for five or six times a day. According to the ex-candidate, «guards of the guards» — «men in black masks with no markings» conducted such searches.
Michalevic Told about Torture in KGB Jail
«We were «stretched» naked, with our legs hooked up to a complete string. We could feel our ligament tearing; in the end of this procedure, it was difficult to walk. We’re placed naked a meter apart from the wall with our hands stretched forward, propping up the wall in the room, where the temperature didn’t exceed ten degrees. We had been kept so for 40 minutes until our hands got swelled. What is more, sometimes they made us prop up the walls with our palms up,» said Ales Michalevic.
The politician noted that some prisoners with a poor health got faint during such «procedures.» «However, people in masks that did not stop,» said Ales Michalevic.
«They didn’t turn off the fluorescent lamps at night but demanded to lie down under the lamp, not even covering the face with a handkerchief» to see the face.» As a result, eye-sight began to deteriorate. We were ordered to sleep in bed with our faces turned to the «eyes» in the doorway, the compliance of which was continually watched — if turned while sleeping, they went in and woke us up, forcing to lie down as ordered. In fact, it caused a complete absence of sleep,» Ales Michalevic said in a statement.
Ex-candidate also pointed out that prisoners were denied in their legal right to medical help. According to the politician, a doctor could visit the prisoners only once a week, at the agreed time. Lawyers were also not allowed to prisoners, said Ales Michalevic. «None of us got the opportunity to meet with a lawyer. This was done deliberately to make the prisoners keep silence of torture,» says the politician.
