Natallia Hersche: I Don't Regret A Single Second, A Minute, Or A Day

• 21.02.2022, 13:09

The political prisoner said she would definitely return to Belarus.

Former political prisoner Natallia Hersche, who was released from custody on February 18 and taken to Switzerland urgently, told "Belsat" about the details of her release and detention.

- At the time of the signal to get up there was a very loud knock at my door, they gave an order to get up, which usually was not the case, as I never violated the rules and used to get up almost immediately after the signal. They gave me 5 minutes for breakfast and 5 minutes to get ready - that fact told me that I would probably be released that day, - Natallia, who was brought to the airport in her prison uniform, said.

The news about the release of the political prisoner caused a burst of emotions among the Belarusians, and while some people were saying that the arrival of the Swiss ambassador and presenting copies of credentials was a concession to the illegitimate ruler to save the citizen of their country, others were saying: "Let another 1000+ ambassadors come to Belarus with carloads of credentials, if it helps free everyone".

Natallia admitted that, for her, the conditions that made the release happen were important:

- If the ambassador had handed over the original letters to the dictator and after that I had been released, it would certainly have been sad news for me and freedom would not have been as joyous as it is now. Fortunately, that was not the case. Upon arrival in Switzerland, the idea was explained to me: only copies of the letters were handed to Mr. Makei, and Switzerland recognises not the dictator, but the state - Belarus.

The ex-political prisoner said that in the colony she spent quite a lot of time communicating with Volha Klaskouskaya:

- We were on the same wavelength with her: we protested together and didn't sew uniforms for the enforcers, we were in the punishment cell together, we were in the cell-type room (where convicts are transferred as punishment for malicious violations of the established order of serving their sentence in penal colonies - note). And when they took me away I said hello to her and thanked her for the support, because the last time she refused to sew the uniform she did it because I hadn't done that, and as a sign of solidarity she came together with me to the cell-type room.

According to Natallia Hersche, she even remembers the penal colony No. 4 in Homel with a bit of laughter, because she managed to "have a little fun" of the administration.

The Swiss citizen also shared a little about the conditions of detention, the news "from TV" and her memories of the 8th of March in captivity.

- We were transported on March 3, there were quite a lot of people, about 16-18, and everyone had an anticipation of a holiday, hopes for some wonderful event ... Unfortunately, nothing happened, the only thing I'll remember of that day was that the dinner menu included buckwheat porridge with meat, which tasted wonderful, and everyone was very happy.

As for the colony staff - there are those who remain human even in these conditions (for example, they talk in a whisper at night, given that prisoners are sleeping), although there are also those who like to make life difficult for the prisoners, Natalya said.

- The mail in Correctional Facility No. 4 was very hard to get, and I was limited in letters. The maximum number of letters per week was two, and in most cases they were from my relatives, - recalls Natallia Hersche. - This, among other things, was the reason for the hunger strike that I kept for 10 days, even though I understood that I had no chance and was not going to harm my health - I started eating again without achieving any results...

Certainly, there are no televisions in punitive cells and solitary confinement, only radios. If a person goes to work in the factory and stays in the detention facility, there are already TV sets where one can watch the Belarusian news, which, of course, is only covered by the regime.

We remind you that in December 2020, the Swiss citizen was sentenced to 2.5 years in a strict regime colony for the balaclava that had been ripped off a riot policeman during the protests in Minsk. The woman said that she had only slightly pulled off the balaklava, but had no time to tear it off, which she regrets, and the alleged scratch on the riot policeman was "badly drawn with red paint". The evidence of the damage came from poor-quality smartphone photos.

The journalists asked what Natallia would like to say today to the "injured" enforcer and to the judge who sentenced her.

- I said it right away, but I do not know if he heard it - he ran out of the courtroom immediately... I told him and the judge: "I wish that this lie that you told and carried out in life will not remain a black stain on your conscience for life".

...I do not regret a single second, a single minute, a single day spent there. I know why and what it was for, I drew many conclusions, changed and grew spiritually during that time. And I take it as an amazing life experience, which will definitely yield results in my future life.

Sooner or later, Natallia Hersche stressed, she will definitely come to Belarus:

- In three months or six months' time, but I am sure it will be an interesting trip