"Such a diagnosis in Palina's conditions is like a death sentence." Political prisoner Sharenda-Panasiuk was diagnosed with chronic pancreatitis
Political prisoner Palina Sharenda-Panasiuk was supposed to be released on May 21 this year. But two days before her release, she was transferred to the Homeĺ pre-trial detention center-3 as part of another criminal case under Article 411 of the Criminal Code (malicious disobedience to the requirements of the administration of a correctional institution). Recently, Palina's relatives received an official response from the administration of the women's colony No. 24, which indicated that the woman was diagnosed with "moderate chronic pancreatitis." Andrei Sharenda, the husband of the political prisoner, told Svaboda about this.
At the moment, the political prisoner is being held in the Homieĺ pre-trial detention center. She is awaiting her third trial for "malicious disobedience to the demands of the colony administration." According to Svaboda, Palina is ill with "moderate chronic pancreatitis", a very dangerous disease whose treatment is complicated in imprisonment. The relatives found out about the diagnosis from the official response of the administration of correctional colony No. 24, where the woman had recently served her sentence.
"The symptoms of this disease are stomach pain, weakness, and severe weight loss. The disease is very dangerous, as it destroys the pancreas, and an irreversible change in the structure of its tissues occurs. We did not know that she had pancreatitis, but we heard that Palina had stomach pains and severe weight loss. One day she lost so much weight that she began to weigh only 50 kilograms. However, to all requests to the colony they officially responded that Palina was healthy and ostensibly receiving the necessary assistance in full.
Meanwhile, Palina had liver problems, she needed certain medications that we sent her, but they were not given to her. Then I contacted the UN Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW). This year, in January, my complaint was registered, and in March, the UN committee demanded that Belarus urgently take temporary measures to protect Palina. The Belarusian authorities had to respond to this decision, and it was only from their response that we learned that Palina has chronic pancreatitis, and already in the moderate stage. But this is a monstrous diagnosis: effectively, in her conditions, it is like a death sentence," said the husband of the political prisoner Andrei Sharenda.
Andrei Sharenda explained why he believes that his wife's life is in mortal danger:
"As the experts have explained to me and as I've read on the Internet, this disease gradually destroys the stomach. With such a disease, a special diet and special treatment are required, exercise is contraindicated, good conditions and strong medical supervision are mandatory. Palina is deprived of all this.
Moreover, they deliberately create completely opposite conditions for her: long transfers, poor nutrition, they do not allow her to take the necessary medicines, they block food care packages from home. And this is despite the fact that her diagnosis is well known there. That's why I'm saying that they are essentially slowly killing my wife. She was supposed to be released back in May, but instead a new case, an investigation, and a transfer to Navinki. It's terrible what they're doing to my Palina!"
At her trial, activist Palina Sharenda-Panasiuk reported beatings and pressure in the penal colony
Viasna recounts what happened at the first court hearing in the case of Palina Sharenda-Panasiuk.
Palina is a public activist from Brest, who was detained on January 3, 2021. At first, the woman was sentenced to two years of imprisonment under a number of criminal articles. Later, she was convicted twice under Article 411 of the Criminal Code (malicious disobedience to the requirements of the administration of a correctional institution).
In March 2024, when propagandists made a short film about the political prisoner, and Palina's yellow tag was featured there, it indicated that the term of imprisonment was supposed to end on May 21. But on this date, Palina was not released. She was charged for the third time with "disobeying the administration of the colony." Two days before her release, she was transferred to the Homeĺ pre-trial detention center-3.
