Andrei Sannikov: I think how to live further - photos

"To be honest, there have been times when I did not believe that I can see my friends alive. Thanks to all of us, they are here today". That's how spokesman of Andrei Sannikov Alexander Atroshchankau anticipated the press conference of two released politicians.

Naturally, the journalists were interested in details of writing by the political prisoners appeals for pardon in the name of Lukashenko.

"I wrote not a petition, but the request for a pardon. Yes, I actually wrote that I ask to pardon me, I repent in my deeds - that's the fact. Did it consciously, and will no longer comment on. The only thing I can say, I did not admit the guilt, although it was the pressure so that I signed a confession of guilt", Sannikov said.

- What kind of pressure was going on?, they asked the politician.

- In the colony.

- Can you say more?

- No, I can't.

The literal text of the petition: "I ask to show humanity and to pardon me in connection with the remorse."

"I signed the request so to stop the provocations, the pressure which was there. Signed why? Because at some point I realized the pardon is not the case. Apparently, they didn't particularly expected it from me. But what could happen to me... It seemed to me that quite serious things could happen - up to physical death or removal. Unfortunately, as the chronology itself shows, I guess I was right, because the isolation has started. Although I have written about 30 letters, if not more to my wife, mother, lawyers, in each letter I informed that I wrote a request for pardon, and asked to accept this fact and report about it. Besides the letters, I have repeatedly written statements to the leadership of the colony "Vitba-3" to allow me to call, allow me to meet with a lawyer to tell the families and lawyers that I took this step. The hard step for me ...", Sannikov said. "Isolation continued because I was kept in solitary confinement, I had no means to report this fact through someone. Then there was a strange moment, in December, as they say, they "raised" the squad, without any statement from me. When I was returned to a single room, I heard on the radio (there it worked the whole day) a press conference, where nothing was said about my petition for clemency. I repeated my request, accompanied by a statement in the name of the prison's chief to transmit the request to its destination. I tried to make it in a way, so that a lot of people in the administration know about. Still, until January 13, I was in the same regime in the same isolation. When I came out of the single to the squad, then some reliefs have started. A week later, on January 20, I had the opportunity to meet with a lawyer. Exactly three months have passed since that time".

On April 17 Sannikov was summoned to the Criminal Executive Inspection of Pervomaisky District of Minsk to get registered. The politician's criminal record remains for 8 years.

"I have not experienced such procedures, but it shows what kind of pardon it was ... in the management of Citizenship and Migration Board I was assured there are no restrictions on travel in my case", Sannikov said.





According to Sannikov, now he is in thought on "how to live further." "What they did with my personal life and the lives of my family - it's just terrible. Until that time I was in a kind of euphoria, and now (maybe it is connected with the call to the police) I should try to bring back the life with my wife and son", Sannikov added.