«I want to take an interview» — «No» — «Let me photograph you» — «No». Bialiatski spoke about a meeting in the colony with Pratasevich
«When you consciously start serving those who actually broke you, when you switch to the other side and consciously start serving — then it's simply a betrayal of your principles and beliefs, of how you thought, how you lived. This is his choice, well, let him live with it for the rest of his life,» — says the Nobel laureate about the new STB presenter.
Ales Bialiatski and Roman Pratasevich. Screenshot from TOK_talk / YouTube video; Pratasevich's Telegram channel.
As Nobel laureate and human rights activist Ales Bialiatski mentioned in the new episode of «TOK», the administration turned his brigade's usual exit to work into a strange game.
According to Bialiatski, the meeting with Roman Pratasevich took place in February 2025. He recalls that on that day the administration behaved strangely from the very morning:
«We were about to go to work. Suddenly — half the squad was detained. Like: "No assignment, you stay in the barracks." What's going on? Our brigade has 30 people, and 15 remain. Then an hour later they say: "Let five go to work." An hour later — another five to work. Finally, we arrive at the checkpoint, they say: "Bialiatski, stay, others go," —
the human rights activist recalls and explains:
«This whole system with work was designed to filter me out and bring me to the headquarters for a meeting with Roman Pratasevich.»
As Bialiatski notes, Pratasevich introduced himself as some kind of worker.
«He says: "I'm a worker now." I say: "How did you get here, worker? How were you allowed in?" "Well," he says, "I run a blog, I need to take an interview."»
According to the former political prisoner, he recognized Pratasevich because he had seen his interview shown on Belarusian television:
«An interview had already been shown on Belarusian television where he cried and so on. By the way, I didn't know him at all in 2020, 2021. He was an unknown person to me. But when all these dramatic scenes were shown on television, that's when I got acquainted with him indirectly. That's why I recognized him.»
Bialiatski briefly relays the content of the conversation:
«He says: "Well, I want to take an interview."
I say: "No, I won't give you an interview."
"Well, let me photograph you."
I say: "No, I don't want you to photograph me."
"Well, then tell me, do you agree to be exchanged for someone, do you agree to an exchange?"
I say: "Well, in principle, I'm not against it."»
Bialiatski explains his consent as follows:
«It was clear that the situation here wasn't improving. And staying further in prison... (...) On the one hand, a certain effectiveness from your stay remains, [but on the other hand] well, it's a bit too much already. Because four years in prison is not a small amount. It's a piece of life where, whether you want to or not, you are constantly under tension. The situation exhausts you as a person.»
Reflecting on Pratasevich's personality, Bialiatski spoke quite harshly:
«Based on the latest data that he is now a presenter on state television, it is clear that he not only, as they say in prison, "sold out" (lit. "became a snitch"), but he also started serving faithfully.
I understand: a weak person, maybe he was broken, he told something he wouldn't have told a second time. But when you consciously start serving those who actually broke you, when you switch to the other side and consciously start serving — then it's simply a betrayal of your principles, your beliefs, of how you thought, how you lived. In fact, he betrayed, he himself erased his previous life. This is his choice, well, let him live with it for the rest of his life.»
Comments
А гэта называецца гнуткасць псіхікі.
І гэта нармальная ўласцівасць нейрапластычнасці здаровага мозгу.
Я разумею, што не падабаецца спадару Алесю, але ў мяне сваё меркаванне. Спадзяюся ў ва ўсіх ўсё будзе добра і неяк перажывем.