"I believe it would be better if no one was released, but these sanctions remained"

Kim Samusenka. Screenshot from video: chestnok_live / YouTube

32-year-old founder and member of the Council of the public movement "Dzieja" Kim Samusenka was detained on November 3, 2020. He was accused of hacking the computer system of the Minsk City Executive Committee, as well as participating in actions that, according to the investigation, grossly violated public order in Minsk after the presidential elections on August 9.

As a result, Samusenka was sentenced under six articles of the Criminal Code to six and a half years of imprisonment. On March 19 this year, he was released early and deported to Lithuania.

In a conversation with Aliaksandr Ivulin, Kim Samusenka emphasized that he does not consider it possible to "turn the page".

"Until a verdict is passed on what happened at the bottom of this page, we won't get rid of this page anywhere."

"So Babaryka's and Kalesnikava's theses are not yours?" Ivulin clarified.

"Not even close. I understand what they are talking about, and many may support them. Most political prisoners, as far as I understand, do not share my opinion, but I believe it would be better if no one was released, but these sanctions remained," Samusenka replied.

Explaining his position, the former political prisoner recalled that the main goal of the protests was to force the system to change. And he considers sanctions as one of the ways to achieve this.

"If there's no money... They will go to negotiate sooner when they are really feeling the heat."

And so it turns out that we fought for the system to change, and they tell us: "Okay. You sat for five years, well done," the man explains.

At the same time, the former political prisoner stressed that he is grateful to everyone who contributed to his release, and wants the others to be released as soon as possible.

However, according to him, if international pressure is relaxed for the release of several hundred people, it allows the authorities to regain strength and continue repressions:

"From the point of view of the overall struggle, this is inexpedient. 500 people were released, for that, this noose around the neck was slightly loosened. They will breathe there, gather [air] and the repressions will continue. They will be able to endure several more years, imprisoning new people."

Samusenka notes that many people remain behind bars about whom the general public is not even aware, and new political prisoners are appearing, "who received five years. And there will be other people who will die there, break their health there."

"In my opinion, this is my personal opinion: everyone has different stories, and some people really needed to get out — health, loved ones, or simply they broke down, couldn't endure. But in my opinion, it would be better if we stayed incarcerated than for these sanctions to be lifted," Samusenka concludes.

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