Maryna Adamovich visits Mikalai Statkevich in prison

- I hope that was the last our conjugal visit here. Mikalai Statkevich is running out of his 3 year imprisonment in less than a month and he will be transferred in one of the colonies. The name of it is still unknown. That was a standard two-hour conjugal visit which we may have twice a year. I think Mikalai has not changed. His eyes are pure and bright. I haven't seen a piece of regret, exhaustion or disbelief. As before, he is sure of himself, very strong and courageous and with a clear understanding what he is doing, why he is doing it and what he is willing to do for the sake of things he believes in. Concerning the point on writing petition for pardon, Mikalai said that it was unreasonable to pass a wet sponge over his early life and it would be never be done.

 - Have you discussed the idea of setting him up as the candidate for Presidency of the democratic powers?

 - We have discussed the idea of producing him as a single candidate of the democratic powers, which have unfortunately divided into two parties. But first I've discussed it with the people concerned and then with the press. Mikalai said that last week he had sent a letter to Edward Lobau at his home address. He welcomes the release of Edward and Vasili Parphenau. He is preparing in moral way for being transferred. He has a pure vision that such things usually end up with increase of pressure and he is ready for this. He said that recently in prison it had become better to "go shopping" as the product choice set had increased a little. He spoke about Ukraine and Russia.

 - In what conditions did you have your visit?

- Unfortunately, there are only five places for a visit; they deal with those who are imprisoned, and those who are in the remand prison. So there is some kind of emotional chaos and people are trying to hear each other. There are telephone hand-sets which I've seen in the films of Stalin's period.

 - Did you communicate through the glass?

 - Yes. This is a prison variant. Soon we have the Square Anniversary; it is the day of St. Nicholas, also the day of Mikalai Statkevich and Mikalai Dziadok. Saint Nicholas is the patron saint for imprisoned people. And today there are two Mikalai in prison.

In 2010 Mikalai Statkevich was the candidate for the Presidency. He was arrested after mass protests against election fraud on December 19, 2010. There were arrested more than 700 protestors. The candidates for the presidency Andrei Sannikau, Uladzimir Niakliaeu, Ales Mikhalevich and members of their teams were among those arrested.

On May 2011 Partyzanski District Court in Minsk sentenced the politician to six years in a maximum-security prison.

Under court decision of January 12, 2012 correctional facility was changed to the stringent one. He was transferred from the colony No. 17 in Shklou to the prison No. 4 in Mahileu.

Statkevich is often incarcerated, the political prisoner cannot get deliveries from his relatives, and at the order of authorities he is being provoked.