My name is Sasha (the name was changed in order to ensure my relatives’ safety). I am a former female political prisoner. I haven’t seen my beloved husband and my sister for a year and several days. They are also political prisoners, but they are in the colony, while I am in another country. Yes, I managed to leave Belarus with my little daughter. The first of June was the International Day for the Protection of Children, and on that day, my daughter received refuge in a foreign country. Refuge from the country where she was born. What irony…
I remember vividly the day when my family and I were detained. I remember the clothes we were wearing, I remember the shoes. Every day at the Akrestsina detention center, when I was transferred from one prison cell to another, I searched for their shoes. That gave me the feeling that we were all nearby.
After the Akrestsina detention center, they were transferred to the pre-trial detention center, and later to colonies. My car became my second home. I cried in the car and went to hand over something to my beloved ones in prison by car.
I was released on bail. The number of my criminal charges multiplied before my eyes. I was prepared for prison. I even completed all the documents for guardianship of a child. Nobody would help my daughter to recover from the lack of a mother and father. That’s why I left the country with only one backpack and a child in my hands.
I discovered that while my family is in prison, my friends are not always ready to listen to me talking about prison and pain. They were scared to be in touch with me, meet me, or call me. At that time, unknown people lent me a helping hand. Every night I lie down with thoughts about my beloved family. I think about our holidays, walks with my daughter and sister. I miss my husband.
Every day, I think about our definitely meeting.
