Key Takeaways from Babaryka's First Press Conference
At his first press conference after his release, Viktor Babaryka spoke about who he called first, what he knows about his son, whether he regrets his decision to run in 2020, what he thinks about the war between Russia and Ukraine, and if he will return to politics.
Screenshot of "Suspilne" video
Who he called after his release
"For these three years, I learned to live not by knowing, but by faith.
But after making three calls — to my sister, daughter, and a person from the team with whom we worked in 2020 — I went to sleep with a strange thought: it turns out, it's entirely possible to successfully fill this gap of not knowing during these three calls. And I realized that everything is alive, everything is working, and it's time to think."
How he found out he was brought to Ukraine
"I only found out we were in Ukraine by the movement... Not even by the movement, because we were driving without the possibility of looking around, but by forced stops and by orienting myself by the sun. I understood that we were moving south.
I just couldn't reconcile the geography — Navapolatsk, the travel time, and the direction. The furthest point I still assumed would be the Brest region. And so when we got out and found ourselves in Ukraine, I, in fact, only found out about it at that very moment." (...)
About the reception by Ukrainians
"This is humanity. Humanity, when you have probably experienced the feeling of needing kindness, and you share that kindness with another. This is the greatest and most proper kindness. This is precisely the kindness that Ukrainians give.And, probably, I don't think Europe will be offended by me, but I believe we wouldn't have received better treatment anywhere else than what we got here. Thank you, Ukraine."
Would he run for president again, knowing what would happen?
"I answered this question for myself back in 2020, that is, would I do what I did on May 12, 2020, knowing what would happen.
A thought was born in my head: a lucky loser. That is, my whole life I did what I considered right and necessary. And so in 2020, I did, we did what we could do. You only regret if you haven't finished something.
Therefore, the decision was correct at the moment it was made. And it was so. Therefore, no, I do not regret what I did. (...) We won. We didn't get the prize. But we became stronger."
"I don't know if they conveyed it to Masha or not, but now I want to publicly say... I don't even remember the day, but the moment I realized everything had been done correctly.
This was when Masha tore up her passport. I know that at that very moment I understood the correctness of the decision, because it was not just done rationally, it was done entirely emotionally. And since that's the case, trust a woman's intuition."
What he knows about his son
"For three years, I had no opportunity to receive letters or make calls... A complete zero. And what I knew about my son was only through some possibilities that people there used to pass [information] to each other."
"But yesterday I received precise information that as of today, he is in a strict-regime penal colony in Orsha, and that two years were added to his sentence under the so-called Article 411.
Although, of course, I am worried, I am very proud both that he is honorably enduring the trials he faces and for the phrase he said back in 2020 when asked what article he was charged under. He said very simply: 'My article is my surname.'"
But I want to say (...): he's not alone there. Thousands of people remain there. (...)
We cannot forget about those whose names we have never heard. (...) It would be a great betrayal if we forget that thousands of people are still there today.
And we will only be able to sleep peacefully, and I will be able to sleep peacefully, not because my son will be free, but when there is no one left there."
Does he plan to continue his political career?
"I can state my opinion: my whole life I tried to be with those who needed me. If I am needed in Belarus, I will try to do something in Belarus. If I am only needed by my family — well, I'll have a decent pension next year (presumably referring to reaching retirement age. — NN)."
"So I don't know. I really don't know, because in these past 24 hours I only found out that, in fact, nothing has stopped. Everything that began, it lives on. And that is the greatest happiness for me. Since it lives, I think we too will live."
What he knows about the latest events regarding the war between Russia and Ukraine and his stance on it.
"We don't know anything for sure. Why? Because in the conditions we were in, access to information was very, very limited. I'm not talking about true or false. But only one-sided. That is, from the Belarusian media. Therefore, commenting on something and giving an assessment when you only know one side's position is pointless. Therefore, regarding everything that happens in the outside world, especially concerning controversial moments where more than one side is present, I think you will get little from us."
"From early childhood, I have known about war that war is always bad. That is, the understanding of a just or unjust war — all of that is, of course, conditional — but war is bad. As for here specifically, as I already said, war is a cause of suffering primarily for the countries involved and for people, but the most terrible thing is that war is truly a dividing point.
Therefore, to comment on certain things when you, as I already said, know practically nothing and know only one side... well, I can't say anything at all. We know that some actions are taking place; what we can say is only what is shown on Belarusian mass media. (...) We can only say what we know is shown on Belarusian television. And that, well, that's practically nothing."
On the assessment of the actions of Russian soldiers
"The question is not about nationality. The question is not about whether you are right or wrong, or anything else. Everything that is done against humanity is inhumane. It cannot be supported.
But I will emphasize once again, such actions cannot be supported; they do not depend on where a person was born. They depend on the moral principles of the individual. And they cannot be supported under any circumstances. It cannot be justified that this can be done because I am for justice.
No. This cannot be done. That is, there is an explanation for *why* you do it, but the assessment of the moral act itself cannot change because of it.
And therefore, the answer to your question is contained precisely within the question itself. Such people cannot be supported. But this does not mean that it is exclusively done by... as Russians say it's Ukrainians doing it, [and] Ukrainians say it's Russians.
Exactly the same way, in any war that takes place, criminal actions are committed that cannot be supported. In no way.
Therefore, such people cannot be supported. But I emphasize again, it does not depend on nationality."
About the information he received behind bars
"For practically three years I spent in PKT (punishment cell), and there, unfortunately, unlike Masha [Kalesnikava], there was only one book per week, so I, unfortunately, could not absorb literature like that."
"Certainly, as I already said, one-sided presentation of information is just one-sided presentation of information. And therefore, what we saw on Belarusian television, you also saw. And essentially, how can I comment differently if Belarusians say that the war has started, in this particular way, what else can I conclude from this? No, of course, it's the same."
"But once again I say that no other conclusion can be drawn besides what was said. And I have never undertaken to make a conclusion based on only one position. Because, I don't know."