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A result of torture? Political prisoner Bulanau has swollen legs and aching joints

2011 2011-03-04T18:07:49+0200 1970-01-01T03:00:00+0300 en

Relatives of political prisoners started interpreting the information they receive from the KGB prison in a different way after a shocking confession of ex-presidential candidate Aliaksei Mikhalevich about being tortured in the KGB prison.
 
In particular, we are especially concerned with the state of health of political prisoner Zmitser Bulasnau. As it is known from his letters, he has aches in the joints of his legs. He was unable to rise from the prison bed for several days.

A week ago Bulanau’s health allegedly got better, but, as it turned out, it has deteriorated again. Though he cannot stand on his legs, he is not put in the prison hospital. This became known as on 3 March the prisoner's mother Klaudziya Bulanava managed to break through to the medic of the detention facility.

The medic admitted giving the prisoner injections to decrease the swelling of the legs. The diagnosis hasn’t been defined yet. At the same time, the KGB doesn’t agree to change the restraint to Bulanau, which is witnessed by the answer of the procracy.

"The medic promised that she would try to get Zmitser transferred to the prison hospital’, said Klaudziya Bulanava.

At the same time, as it is known from Mikhalevich’s statement, the KGB medic covers what Mikhalevich described as torture. In particular, Mikhalevich told that the doctor covered with her hand the medical conclusions she was writing, so that the prisoners wouldn’t see them.

In light of Mikhalevich’s words, Bulanau’s situation acquires a new dimension.

He said that the prisoners were forced to stand naked with legs far apart in a cold room for a long time. The swelling of legs in this position could lead to impairment of the blood circulation. However, the edema could also be caused by exposure, an aggravation of a virus infection. One needs to examine the patient and do medical tests in order to determine the diagnosis.

Aliaksei Mikhalevich addressed the UN Commissioner for Human Rights to intervene in the situation in Belarusian prisons. He also called on EU countries to seek access of representatives of the relevant international bodies to those who are kept in prison.

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