Wake-up time is 5 a.m. in a concrete cell, presumably in solitary confinement: these are conditions in which Ales Bialiatski is being held

The head of Viasna and Nobel Peace Prize winner Ales Bialiatski has been sentenced to 10 years’ imprisonment. The human rights defender was sent to serve his term to Penal Colony No. 9, in the town of Gorki, which is considered to be one of the strictest in terms of confinement conditions. In early November, Ales Bialiatski, as  reported, was placed in a solitary confinement cell. The human rights defender had no access to a lawyer for a long time. Radio Svaboda has found out information about the attitude towards political prisoners in the Gorki penal colony and the certain environment that the local administration creates. 

Penal colony No. 9 is located outside Gorki town and comprises 13 buildings accommodating 1,500 prisoners. The penitentiary facility is being used to the full capacity. Generally, it takes those who already have criminal records. The prisoners are forced to work in metalworking operations, wood processing, at a sewing shop and a bakery section.

Currently, there are 10 political prisoners held at the Gorki penal colony: Ales Bialiatski, Ruslan Akostka, Pavel Aucharou, Dzianis Barsukou, Viktar Barushka, Vadzim Gurman, Dzianis Dzikun, Viachaslau Maleichuk, Siarhei Ramanau, Andrei Yurkou.

A standalone building with its own guard unit houses cells for solitary confinement and punitive isolation cells where political prisoners often appear incarcerated. Ales Bialiatski is known to have been placed in the solitary confinement cell. 

"A person placed in a solitary confinement cell or a punitive segregation cell is not allowed to work. The prisoner is kept 24/7 in a tiny room which is very cold as there is concrete everywhere. The walls and the floor are made of concrete, so is the small stool. The wall-mounted bunk bed is only to be pulled down for a night; you are not allowed to lie on it in the daytime. Those put in the solitary confinement cell are provided every night with a mattress, a pillow and a blanket which are taken away in the morning.Neither a mattress, nor bed linen are allowed “as per regulations” in the cell, with the prisoner having to sleep on bare boards. Having nothing to occupy themselves with and suffering from cold, a person has to keep moving non-stop, going back and forth," — a former prisoner, on an anonymous basis, has described the conditions there.

The daily routine for prisoners held in the Gorki Prison Colony is as follows.

5 a.m. is the wake-up time for those placed in the solitary confinement cell (for other prisoners the wake-up time is 6 a.m.).

At 5.10 a.m., the prisoners have safety razors brought to them, they can start their personal hygiene activities .

From 5.30 a.m. to 6 a.m. breakfast is served. Usually, it is just porridge and tea. The porridge is mostly made of cracked grain; occasionally, it is boiled rice or millet porridge. Eggs are served twice a week.

At 8 a.m. an inspection is carried out. It includes a cell search, examination of belongings, and the prisoners’ personal search. During the inspection a bucket full of chlorine solution is emptied into the cell to be wiped away after the guards are gone.

11 a.m. — lunchtime. The lunch includes some soup, the main meal (most commonly, porridge or pasta with canned meat), stewed fruit or kissel (fruit or berry starch drink). Once a week, a minced meat patty may be served. 

4 p.m. — dinnertime. It’s usually porridge again. Once a week, fish backbones may be served. 

8 p.m. — another inspection.

9 p.m. — bedtime signal.

"No respect for rules" 

As for the time to take a walk, those held in solitary confinement cells may be occasionally taken to a small prison yard. It looks very much like a cell, with concrete walls, a net hanging above instead of the ceiling, a gate and barbed wire through which the sky is seen.

According to the rules approved by the Department for the Execution of Sentences, when a prisoner is transferred from the ordinary regime unit to a solitary confinement cell she or he may take some soap, a toothbrush and toothpaste, and a small towel. They are also entitled to make purchases once a month from the prison store within one basic amount (37 roubles) and write and receive letters from family. 

Once a week, a librarian visits solitary cells and prisoneers have an opportunity to return and take books.

Prisonners are also allowed to go to the storage of personal items once a week to take fresh underwear, tea and biscuits (but no food). 

"In the case of political prisoners, the rules are always ignored. I was deemed an ordinary criminal, so things were easier for me. Political prisoners were hardly ever allowed time in the open air. They were also prevented from making purchases.

Eighteen months ago, I happened to share a cell with a political prisoner; other prisoners also had such experience. We used to help them by offering our food, coffee or tea, as we had an immersion heater, and - sorry for mentioning that - our toilet paper. Yes, they were supposed to have the right to write letters, but as far as I remember, they never received any correspondence. There were some books in the cell brought by the librarian.    

However, later it was rumored that all political prisoners were placed in solitary-confinement cells. I know nothing about the conditions they experience there, but I guess they got restricted from anything," — says a former prisoner who served his term under a criminal sentence (not politically motivated).

The last letter was received from Ales Bialiatski on 18 October. He has never written about the colony or the conditions there.