461 years in prison for peaceful protests and solidarity with ukraine
"It is in silence where the most evil things are done"
Belarusian civic journalist and photographer Yauhenia Dougaya talks about women political prisoners enduring inhumane conditions during their incarceration
Yauhenia Dougaya is a journalist focused on social issues and investigations. Since 2018, she has been engaged in social journalism, writing about political prisoners and LGBTQ+ people's rights, domestic violence and homelessness. In 2018, Yauhenia was awarded the 1st Prize at "Journalists for Tolerance" competition organzied by J4T AWARDS (Ukraine) for her material about Belarusian LGBT teenagers. A year later, she received the same award for an article on the HIV.
In 2019, Yauhenia Dougaya completed a journalistic training program organized by "Detector-Media" in Kyiv, Ukraine, which helped her establish a professional foundation in war journalism.
In 2020, fleeing the repressions, Yauhenia moved to Kyiv. Together with her Ukrainian colleague Lesya Ganzha, she launched “Politvyazynka” - an initiative aimed at spreading information about women political prisoners in Belarus.
In March 2022, Dougaya had to leave Ukraine due to the war. She is currently based in Warsaw, Poland.
In 2019, Yauhenia Dougaya completed a journalistic training program organized by "Detector-Media" in Kyiv, Ukraine, which helped her establish a professional foundation in war journalism.
In 2020, fleeing the repressions, Yauhenia moved to Kyiv. Together with her Ukrainian colleague Lesya Ganzha, she launched “Politvyazynka” - an initiative aimed at spreading information about women political prisoners in Belarus.
In March 2022, Dougaya had to leave Ukraine due to the war. She is currently based in Warsaw, Poland.
Yauhenia Dougaya
social journalist, founder of "Politvyazynka" initiative, photographer
Yauhenia: Keeping the media focused on women political prisoners in Belarus has always been my priority. I feel it is my duty to continue discussing their prison experiences, sharing the stories of innocent individuals fighting against the regime, and shedding light on the inhumane conditions they endure. I want the world to remember these Belarusian's names. So many times have I heard a reproach addressed to girls protesting in 2020 in Belarus, "All you did was to walk around carrying flowers", but somehow people rarely mention the high price women have to pay now for those - at first sight innocent - flowers.
Today, one of the elderst prisoners is 65-year-old retiree Galina Derbysh who also has cancer. Nevertheless, neither her age nor her diagnosis prevented the judge from sentencing the woman to 20 years - allegedly for “terrorism.”
Olga Mayorova is also a pensioner, she is 58. She was also sentenced to 20 years in penal colony. Olga is allowed no packages, she is kept in a cold punishment cell (which looks like a small concrete room). Former prisoners who met Olga in the colony say she was not even permitted to get her personal items - when she was arrested she did not even have her tights on! In women's prisons in Belarus you are not allowed to wear trousers, so it means she might have been suffering from cold all this time.
Another type of torture convicts are exposed to is medical negligence - for example, famous Belarusian journalist Ksenia Lutskina has headaches but the only help she gets are painkilling injections. The woman has a brain tumor, so would injections really change something? Ksenia was sentenced to eight years in prison for simply showing her civil position and resigning from her job on state television as a form of protest.
Human rights activist Marfa Rabkova was sentenced to 15 years of jail. In prison, she developed serious health problems and lost 20 kg. While in colony, former prisoners say, she gets sick every other week.
I can share with you hundreds of such stories, each one a tale that one could hardly imagine happening in the heart of Europe.
Today, one of the elderst prisoners is 65-year-old retiree Galina Derbysh who also has cancer. Nevertheless, neither her age nor her diagnosis prevented the judge from sentencing the woman to 20 years - allegedly for “terrorism.”
Olga Mayorova is also a pensioner, she is 58. She was also sentenced to 20 years in penal colony. Olga is allowed no packages, she is kept in a cold punishment cell (which looks like a small concrete room). Former prisoners who met Olga in the colony say she was not even permitted to get her personal items - when she was arrested she did not even have her tights on! In women's prisons in Belarus you are not allowed to wear trousers, so it means she might have been suffering from cold all this time.
Another type of torture convicts are exposed to is medical negligence - for example, famous Belarusian journalist Ksenia Lutskina has headaches but the only help she gets are painkilling injections. The woman has a brain tumor, so would injections really change something? Ksenia was sentenced to eight years in prison for simply showing her civil position and resigning from her job on state television as a form of protest.
Human rights activist Marfa Rabkova was sentenced to 15 years of jail. In prison, she developed serious health problems and lost 20 kg. While in colony, former prisoners say, she gets sick every other week.
I can share with you hundreds of such stories, each one a tale that one could hardly imagine happening in the heart of Europe.
"Barbie" Mirror
In prisons and pre-trial detention centers, sharp objects are not allowed due to the risk of prisoners inflicting harm on themselves or attempting suicide. Consequently, real mirrors are also forbidden. Instead, women use small plastic mirrors with no sharp edges to see their reflections when applying makeup.
Kids' Hairpins
The only jewelry officially allowed in Belarusian prisons is hair clips and pins. Women in prison are prohibited from wearing earrings, rings, bracelets, chains, and brooches, as anything that might make the prisoner stand out is generally disallowed. Therefore, hair clips can partly 'save' the situation. Most women ask for children's hairpins because they come in many bright colors, forms, and shapes.
In prisons and pre-trial detention centers, sharp objects are not allowed due to the risk of prisoners inflicting harm on themselves or attempting suicide. Consequently, real mirrors are also forbidden. Instead, women use small plastic mirrors with no sharp edges to see their reflections when applying makeup.
Kids' Hairpins
The only jewelry officially allowed in Belarusian prisons is hair clips and pins. Women in prison are prohibited from wearing earrings, rings, bracelets, chains, and brooches, as anything that might make the prisoner stand out is generally disallowed. Therefore, hair clips can partly 'save' the situation. Most women ask for children's hairpins because they come in many bright colors, forms, and shapes.
Yauhenia: The nature of my work as a civic journalist has definitely changed. If in 2022 everything was aimed at disseminating information about every political prisoner, now I have volunteers who, through donations (which we collect via Patreon and PayPal) provide targeted help to women. I also try to show through little things how Belarusian prison destroys women’s health - both physical and moral.
I want to emphasize that as a society, we can no longer suffice with sending parcels and providing assistance to families. It's imperative that we change the discourse and do everything in our power to secure the release of political prisoners. This isn't about "trading" or similar matters. Our objective should be to provoke a reaction and utilize every opportunity to raise awareness about Belarusian political prisoners. It's crucial that everyone in Europe knows about individuals like Maria Kalesnikava, whose health we receive distressing updates about, about Viktar Babarika, about whom we know so little, about Mikalai Statkevich, Palina Sharendo-Panasyuk, and thousands of others. They are incarcerated, and every passing minute, they cling to the hope that negotiations are underway for their release. Regrettably, we're not actively pursuing this. Instead, we seem more preoccupied with finding the right terminology for their liberation. However, those imprisoned couldn't care less about what we call it.
Political prisoners themselves can accomplish very little. I am grateful to those who, upon release, choose to leave the country and speak out. They build resilient communities, as evidenced by the example of women who continue to support each other and those still imprisoned. These individuals assist me by providing information passed on to them by other inmates, often young women charged under Article 328 for "Illegal Drug Trafficking." Belarus maintains an extremely harsh drug policy - possessing even a gram of marijuana can result in years of imprisonment. Consequently, drug abuse is the most common criminal offense among incarcerated youth.
I also find it significant that political prisoners openly express in their interviews that democratic forces have not done and are not doing enough for political prisoners in Belarus.
I want to emphasize that as a society, we can no longer suffice with sending parcels and providing assistance to families. It's imperative that we change the discourse and do everything in our power to secure the release of political prisoners. This isn't about "trading" or similar matters. Our objective should be to provoke a reaction and utilize every opportunity to raise awareness about Belarusian political prisoners. It's crucial that everyone in Europe knows about individuals like Maria Kalesnikava, whose health we receive distressing updates about, about Viktar Babarika, about whom we know so little, about Mikalai Statkevich, Palina Sharendo-Panasyuk, and thousands of others. They are incarcerated, and every passing minute, they cling to the hope that negotiations are underway for their release. Regrettably, we're not actively pursuing this. Instead, we seem more preoccupied with finding the right terminology for their liberation. However, those imprisoned couldn't care less about what we call it.
Political prisoners themselves can accomplish very little. I am grateful to those who, upon release, choose to leave the country and speak out. They build resilient communities, as evidenced by the example of women who continue to support each other and those still imprisoned. These individuals assist me by providing information passed on to them by other inmates, often young women charged under Article 328 for "Illegal Drug Trafficking." Belarus maintains an extremely harsh drug policy - possessing even a gram of marijuana can result in years of imprisonment. Consequently, drug abuse is the most common criminal offense among incarcerated youth.
I also find it significant that political prisoners openly express in their interviews that democratic forces have not done and are not doing enough for political prisoners in Belarus.
Yauhenia: The primary audience of "Politvyazynka" initiative are Belarusians who stay in the country. I am sure that changes can only happen when the country understands what is unfolding just in front of their eyes.
Now, when individuals are released, it does not necessarily mean they fully regain their freedom. The Belarusian state employs various tactics to ensure that even those who have served their entire sentences for political reasons do not remain active citizens within the country. These individuals are often labeled as "terrorists" or "extremists," which results in a complete ban on their employment opportunities. Furthermore, upon release, political prisoners are required to report to the police, who are obligated to conduct daily, sometimes multiple, check-ins. Additionally, many former prisoners are prohibited from leaving Belarus.
These oppressive measures take a toll on individuals' mental well-being, leading them to seek ways to leave the country. Many resort to crossing the border through forests and swamps, ultimately seeking refuge in neighboring countries like Lithuania.
Now, when individuals are released, it does not necessarily mean they fully regain their freedom. The Belarusian state employs various tactics to ensure that even those who have served their entire sentences for political reasons do not remain active citizens within the country. These individuals are often labeled as "terrorists" or "extremists," which results in a complete ban on their employment opportunities. Furthermore, upon release, political prisoners are required to report to the police, who are obligated to conduct daily, sometimes multiple, check-ins. Additionally, many former prisoners are prohibited from leaving Belarus.
These oppressive measures take a toll on individuals' mental well-being, leading them to seek ways to leave the country. Many resort to crossing the border through forests and swamps, ultimately seeking refuge in neighboring countries like Lithuania.
Bread
Bread is a vital commodity in packages sent to political prisoners. But why send it at all? The reason lies in the fact that all prison bread is made from recycled bread waste - stale loaves left unsold in shops. At bread factories, this waste is ground, dissolved in water, mixed with bran and press cake, flour, and yeast, and then baked once more. Prisoners who receive no support from the outside world are left with no choice but to eat this prison bread. After just three months of confinement, they begin to develop swollen bellies.
"I witnessed women with distended bellies, resembling those of pregnant women. They all suffered from flatulence, creating a foul smell in the poorly ventilated cells. We attempted to share our own bread with them, pleading for them to avoid consuming the prison bread," recalls a Belarusian political prisoner.
Bread is a vital commodity in packages sent to political prisoners. But why send it at all? The reason lies in the fact that all prison bread is made from recycled bread waste - stale loaves left unsold in shops. At bread factories, this waste is ground, dissolved in water, mixed with bran and press cake, flour, and yeast, and then baked once more. Prisoners who receive no support from the outside world are left with no choice but to eat this prison bread. After just three months of confinement, they begin to develop swollen bellies.
"I witnessed women with distended bellies, resembling those of pregnant women. They all suffered from flatulence, creating a foul smell in the poorly ventilated cells. We attempted to share our own bread with them, pleading for them to avoid consuming the prison bread," recalls a Belarusian political prisoner.
Yauhenia: In 2020, during the protests, I was detained. I stayed in jail for three days, but it was enough for me to assess the prison conditions. The temperature in the cell was vert low and it was a newspaper that saved me: I wrapped it around my feet so as not to freeze completely. I then realized that things we take for granted in freedom could actually save one’s health in prison.
For my ongoing photo series, "Survival," I interview former political prisoners about the everyday items that helped them endure their time in jail. Just a couple of days ago, I spoke with Mia Mitkevich, who mentioned that she found solace in smelling various scents. After spending two and a half years in prison, she had almost forgotten the richness of the world's different smells.
Inspired by these conversations, I began to collect simple yet invaluable items that have been lifesavers for women in prison. On my Instagram page, I share photos of these objects along with the stories behind them. Through these narratives, I aim to shed light on the reality of Belarusian prisons and why the system needs to be dismantled.
For my ongoing photo series, "Survival," I interview former political prisoners about the everyday items that helped them endure their time in jail. Just a couple of days ago, I spoke with Mia Mitkevich, who mentioned that she found solace in smelling various scents. After spending two and a half years in prison, she had almost forgotten the richness of the world's different smells.
Inspired by these conversations, I began to collect simple yet invaluable items that have been lifesavers for women in prison. On my Instagram page, I share photos of these objects along with the stories behind them. Through these narratives, I aim to shed light on the reality of Belarusian prisons and why the system needs to be dismantled.
Makeup Brush
Taking care of themselves is one of the ways of resistance available (to varying degrees) to women in prison.
A match, a piece of thread, and some hairs collected from a comb are creatively used to make "makeup brushes" that can be dipped in mascara and used to draw eyeliner.
Disposable Razor
A disposable razor is another valuable item in a pre-trial detention center. An ordinary razor is dismantled, and the blade is removed. The plastic handle is then "sawed off" using a thread, and subsequently melted by fire with the same blade reattached to it. Once it hardens, you have a mini blade with a handle (referred to as a "moika"). This device is used to sharpen pencils, as well as to cut lard, sausage, garlic, and onions.
Taking care of themselves is one of the ways of resistance available (to varying degrees) to women in prison.
A match, a piece of thread, and some hairs collected from a comb are creatively used to make "makeup brushes" that can be dipped in mascara and used to draw eyeliner.
Disposable Razor
A disposable razor is another valuable item in a pre-trial detention center. An ordinary razor is dismantled, and the blade is removed. The plastic handle is then "sawed off" using a thread, and subsequently melted by fire with the same blade reattached to it. Once it hardens, you have a mini blade with a handle (referred to as a "moika"). This device is used to sharpen pencils, as well as to cut lard, sausage, garlic, and onions.
Yauhenia: My main sources of information are people release from jail. Sometimes they contact me on their own and show willingness to share their stories. For example, one former prisoner (whose case was not political) has recently written me about Oksana Zaretskaya (an etiquette expert sentenced to one year and six months). The former convict passed on some news about Oksana saying she missed French music and her family a lot. The woman also worries about her loved one, who was also incarcerated.
In general, there are quite a few cases where all family members get in jail. For example, the Losiks: Ihar was sentenced to 15 years and his wife Daria - to two years. The young couple have a five-year-old daughter, Paulina, who is now taken care of by Daria’s parents.
Dmitry Dashkevich was first sentenced to two years in prison, and then one more year was added to his term. His wife Anastasia received two years of restriction of freedom. At the time of her arrest, Anastasia was pregnant.
Ekaterina Zaretskaya, together with her husband Vyacheslav Pantyushenko, were sentenced to five years for putting a Ukrainian flag on the facade of the house to show solidarity and support to the Ukrainians.
In general, there are quite a few cases where all family members get in jail. For example, the Losiks: Ihar was sentenced to 15 years and his wife Daria - to two years. The young couple have a five-year-old daughter, Paulina, who is now taken care of by Daria’s parents.
Dmitry Dashkevich was first sentenced to two years in prison, and then one more year was added to his term. His wife Anastasia received two years of restriction of freedom. At the time of her arrest, Anastasia was pregnant.
Ekaterina Zaretskaya, together with her husband Vyacheslav Pantyushenko, were sentenced to five years for putting a Ukrainian flag on the facade of the house to show solidarity and support to the Ukrainians.
Orange Peel
No cream or cosmetics can save women's skin in jail. No access to fresh air, tiny prison cells, stress, abuse and other obvious negative factors affect the prisoners' look and state. In order to mobilize their forces, girls invent ways of bringing themselves back to "normality".
Orange peel is used as a replacement of Vitamin C. Its juice is rubbed into face and neck skin.
Feltpens and burned matches serve as eyeliners. Since no jewlery is allowed in prison, paper clips and "teeth" of hairbrushes are worn as earrings.
No cream or cosmetics can save women's skin in jail. No access to fresh air, tiny prison cells, stress, abuse and other obvious negative factors affect the prisoners' look and state. In order to mobilize their forces, girls invent ways of bringing themselves back to "normality".
Orange peel is used as a replacement of Vitamin C. Its juice is rubbed into face and neck skin.
Feltpens and burned matches serve as eyeliners. Since no jewlery is allowed in prison, paper clips and "teeth" of hairbrushes are worn as earrings.
Yauhenia: Of course, the information I get is a drop in the oceans and if I lived in Belarus, I would make more detailed materials - for example also talking to prisoner's relatives. There are so many cases when elder brothers and sisters have to become care-givers for their younger siblings while their mothers are in prison.
Here I can recall the daughter of political prisoner Elena Lazarchik, who turns 50 in July. The woman has been in prison since the end of December 2021, she was sentenced to eight years. The only news that reaches her family is that Elena is not allowed packages, visits, and calls to her family. She is also regularly put in a punishment cell.
Elena has three children, two of them are grownups, and the youngest Artem is ten. Before arrest, the woman had worked as a janitor and, as her friends say, tried to save a protest mural from destruction. When Elena was detained, she was kept at the police station until 11 pm and her son was immediately brought to an orphanage. The formal reason was his mother's not picking him up from afterschool. Despite the fact that the school had Artem’s father's and his elder sister's phone numbers, they were not notified. The story got a lot of coverage in social media and the next day, hundreds of Belarusians carrying posters and gifts for the boy came to the shelter demanding that Artem be released. And Elena was allowed to take the boy home. A year later, however, the woman was detained and convicted on four criminal charges. The police arrested her in her own flat - in front of Artyom. The boy got hysterical - later he even refused to enter that room, repeating, “I don’t want it, my mother and I were there!”
When Lazarchik was in pre-trial detention, a few days before her birthday, she received a letter stating that she was deprived of parental rights.
“It’s very sad that my little boy is a hostage to this situation. It’s mean to take revenge on the defenseless kids. But the state doesn’t know any other way. Well, that's on them. I hope that I will have enough strength to withstand all the trials with dignity. I don’t give up,” Elena wrote in her prison diary, which she managed to hand over through other fellow inmates who were served their term.
Later, Elena was notified that her husband Sergei, Artem’s father, had filed for divorce - the news the woman accepted with a heavy heart. In December 2023, Sergei died. When Elena is released, her son will be 15 years old... He now lives with Elena's eldest daughter who prefers not to tell him about his mother's sentence: he continues writing letters to his mother... .
Here I can recall the daughter of political prisoner Elena Lazarchik, who turns 50 in July. The woman has been in prison since the end of December 2021, she was sentenced to eight years. The only news that reaches her family is that Elena is not allowed packages, visits, and calls to her family. She is also regularly put in a punishment cell.
Elena has three children, two of them are grownups, and the youngest Artem is ten. Before arrest, the woman had worked as a janitor and, as her friends say, tried to save a protest mural from destruction. When Elena was detained, she was kept at the police station until 11 pm and her son was immediately brought to an orphanage. The formal reason was his mother's not picking him up from afterschool. Despite the fact that the school had Artem’s father's and his elder sister's phone numbers, they were not notified. The story got a lot of coverage in social media and the next day, hundreds of Belarusians carrying posters and gifts for the boy came to the shelter demanding that Artem be released. And Elena was allowed to take the boy home. A year later, however, the woman was detained and convicted on four criminal charges. The police arrested her in her own flat - in front of Artyom. The boy got hysterical - later he even refused to enter that room, repeating, “I don’t want it, my mother and I were there!”
When Lazarchik was in pre-trial detention, a few days before her birthday, she received a letter stating that she was deprived of parental rights.
“It’s very sad that my little boy is a hostage to this situation. It’s mean to take revenge on the defenseless kids. But the state doesn’t know any other way. Well, that's on them. I hope that I will have enough strength to withstand all the trials with dignity. I don’t give up,” Elena wrote in her prison diary, which she managed to hand over through other fellow inmates who were served their term.
Later, Elena was notified that her husband Sergei, Artem’s father, had filed for divorce - the news the woman accepted with a heavy heart. In December 2023, Sergei died. When Elena is released, her son will be 15 years old... He now lives with Elena's eldest daughter who prefers not to tell him about his mother's sentence: he continues writing letters to his mother... .
Plastic Bottle
In a pre-detention center, plastic bottles and sponges are essential items that serve women prisoners for showering. "We used sponges for soaping the body and washing. They produce a lot of soap and retain moisture. Each of us had our own sponge," recalls one former prisoner.
"Additionally, we poured our morning tea into plastic bottles. When it was distributed, it was boiling hot, making it impossible to drink immediately. However, when poured into the bottle, it served as a small private source of warmth for a while, especially during the extremely cold nights when the body could cramp due to the low temperatures," adds another Belarusian.
In a pre-detention center, plastic bottles and sponges are essential items that serve women prisoners for showering. "We used sponges for soaping the body and washing. They produce a lot of soap and retain moisture. Each of us had our own sponge," recalls one former prisoner.
"Additionally, we poured our morning tea into plastic bottles. When it was distributed, it was boiling hot, making it impossible to drink immediately. However, when poured into the bottle, it served as a small private source of warmth for a while, especially during the extremely cold nights when the body could cramp due to the low temperatures," adds another Belarusian.
Yauhenia: For me, all these children are heroes. And I would really like to shoot their portraits one day. But so far, it is not possible.
I’m scared that in another couple of years I will not be able to do the project from abroad because Belarusian authorities are doing everything to break solidarity and build a wall between those who left and those who remained in Belarus. There are more and more relatives who refuse to talk because they are afraid that publicity will harm their close ones in jail. I cannot fully disagree with this because sometimes publicity really harms. But silence, in my opinion, is even worse. Because it is in silence where the most evil things are done.
When thinking about potential foreign target audience of "Politvyazynka" project, first of all I want them to know that we have women political prisoners in Belarus. And if you get back to what Lukashenko said about women (for example, that he does not fight with women and loves them very much), you will have a feeling that he is such a lover of women and a gentleman. In fact, the state hates Belarusian women. And prison shows it perfectly well: any woman who goes against this state is literally destroyed - both physically and mentally.
Belarusian prison has not changed much since the Soviet times. And I ask all foreigners to get informed and share the news on the situation with Belarusian political prisoners. Why? At least for the sake of their own citizens. Belarus is located in Europe, and by talking about political prisoners in Belarus, you inform your own citizens, your own voters, that they cannot vote for dictators. Dictators lead to repressions and suffering.
Graphs - A.Pashkevich
Photos - Yauhenia Dougaya
Design and interview - Olga Bubich
I’m scared that in another couple of years I will not be able to do the project from abroad because Belarusian authorities are doing everything to break solidarity and build a wall between those who left and those who remained in Belarus. There are more and more relatives who refuse to talk because they are afraid that publicity will harm their close ones in jail. I cannot fully disagree with this because sometimes publicity really harms. But silence, in my opinion, is even worse. Because it is in silence where the most evil things are done.
When thinking about potential foreign target audience of "Politvyazynka" project, first of all I want them to know that we have women political prisoners in Belarus. And if you get back to what Lukashenko said about women (for example, that he does not fight with women and loves them very much), you will have a feeling that he is such a lover of women and a gentleman. In fact, the state hates Belarusian women. And prison shows it perfectly well: any woman who goes against this state is literally destroyed - both physically and mentally.
Belarusian prison has not changed much since the Soviet times. And I ask all foreigners to get informed and share the news on the situation with Belarusian political prisoners. Why? At least for the sake of their own citizens. Belarus is located in Europe, and by talking about political prisoners in Belarus, you inform your own citizens, your own voters, that they cannot vote for dictators. Dictators lead to repressions and suffering.
Graphs - A.Pashkevich
Photos - Yauhenia Dougaya
Design and interview - Olga Bubich