The law states that parcels, transfers, parcels and money transfers to convicts who have no relatives can be transferred or forwarded by non-relatives with the permission of the head of the colony.

Anyone who has encountered the prison system of Belarus knows that you will not live in the places of deprivation of liberty on state “support”. And only the lucky ones are provided with “monetary” work by prison standards. The majority of prisoners receive crumbs. Many have a wage of up to 1 ruble per month. And this is not a joke. A salary of 50-100 rubles is considered rich! How our boys, girls, men, and women survive in these conditions is anyone’s guess. Especially goes to those who have no one, i.e. orphans.

And that’s where the most incomprehensible thing begins. The head of the colony may allow the parcel and transfer or may prohibit it. Everything depends on his will. A person is left without funds and sometimes cannot even buy basic things in a prison store (pasta, soap, hygiene products, etc.).

Because of COVID-19, a law on additional boxes for all convicts has been adopted for all convicts, regardless of the punishment and behaviour. Especially such parcels are relevant for those who are in closed-type prisons, where there is little sun and walking in the air for no more than an hour. The food in prisons is poor, without fruits, and very few vegetables, which leads to diseases and exacerbation of chronic diseases, teeth destroying, etc.

Let’s give an example of one convict. Eugene is an orphan, left in the orphanage by his mother. Fortunately, some people can help and are helping. But when questions about any transfer arise, the head of prison No. 8 in Zhodino refuses. The explanation is Zhenya’s dangerous behaviour. We know what “dangerous behaviour” is and how people can destroy a person in those places.

Volunteers and ordinary people tried to deliver a parcel for Eugene, but there was refusal after refusal!

So there is a legal gap. According to the law, everyone needs to get healthy with fruits and vegetables during a pandemic. And the law allows it, but not for those who have bad relations with the officials. Because the same law says “with the permission of the authorities”.

As follows from the documents provided, there were appeals to the Department of Execution of Punishment – a ban. We appealed to the Ministry of Internal Affairs to solve the legal gap – a new refusal. We applied several times directly to the head of the prison No. 8 – the same thing. I.e. they do not help themselves and do not give to others. It is a real LEGAL GAP in the entire prison system of Belarus.

Is it possible to correct a convicted person by such actions? On the contrary, the injustice towards the convicts, even in such things, like parcels, transfers, hardens. We do not mention the health of the convicted person, which, according to the law, the administrators and the Department must take care of. When it comes to children, it eventually leads to an increasing number of criminal elements. It is impossible to correct the behaviour of a child by violence and pressure – only to create a criminal out of him.

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