Mikalai Autukhovich: No one will feel ashamed for me

The political prisoner has written a letter to a filmmaker Volha Nikalajchyk, the author of a documentary film about the businessman from Vaukavyssk.

Belarusian Partisan website offers the text of the letter.

"Thank you very much for your letter. I received it in the jail. It is very pleasant to find out that your film about me was demonstrated in many places. Thank you for everything. You did not know me, but you decided to make a film about my life. Thank you for mother. It would be wonderful if she continues to feel support. She has a hard time now. I hope you would be able to go somewhere together with my mother. If it is not a secret, where are you going? I am doing well so far, so to speak. They have started to attack me, and it is not completely clear what is the reason for these attacks. So far I’m holding on. I do not know whether it is reprisal or they are trying to intimidate me. Time will show. Say hello to everyone, tell them that no one will feel ashamed for me", Mikalai Autukhovich writes.

In his letter the political prisoner mentions "the unforeseen events here [in the colony], which have overset all my plans, and I lost an opportunity to congratulate many people on the holiday. If it’s not too much trouble, congratulate everyone on my behalf, through the mass media or in other way – everyone who writes to me and who was to receive wishes from me.” “Last year I sent more than 70 persons, and now I would not be able to do that. It’s a pity, but I did not expected battles here. I want to explain that to people. Thank you. I will try to write to Narodnaya Volya, but it could fail to pass a censor", Mikalai Autukhovich said.

The letter to the filmmaker Volha Nikalajchyk is dated by December 19, 2011. A few days before there were reports that Mikalai Autukhovich slashed wrists. On December 16 Aleh Vouchak together with the co-chairman of the organizing committee for creation of a public association Defenders of Motherland Alyaksandr Kamarouski filed an application to the Prosecutor General. They wrote that Autukhovich’s rights are violated in the penal colony. In the evening of the same day Autukhovich’s sister received a phone call from "inmates" of Ivatsevichy colony Nr 5 with the news that Autukhovich had attempted a suicide – slashed wrists. Are these the "unforeseen events" mentioned by Mikalai Autukhovich?

Mikalai Autukhovich had to slash wrists as a prisoner from the lower cast of the prison community, "a downcast" ("a bugger") was placed into his cell. In case he would not do that, he would receive the same status himself.