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