People create hell themselves by worrying too much – imprisoned journalist Alaksandraŭ

January 12, BPN. Two years have passed since the arrests of Andrej Alaksandraŭ, media manager and former BelaPAN deputy CEO, and his girlfriend Iryna Złobina whom he married in custody.

After the Supreme Court upheld their sentences on January 6, authorities are preparing to transfer both from pre-trial detention facilities to prisons.

Złobina feels well, has a lot of plans for the future and treats her life as a fascinating journey but misses her husband very much, a source told BPN.

“It seems to me that I am ready for the next stage both physically and mentally,” Alaksandraŭ wrote in a recent letter. “I am not afraid, nor excited and nor anxious. I am fine, calm, in good health and I sincerely wish you the same. Everything will be fine.”

People make up hell themselves by worrying too much, he added. “Good people are everywhere. A lot of them are on our side of the fence, and I mostly meet people of the type.”

Recently Alaksandaraŭ was allowed to see his father, who described him as a skinny, but an energetic man with a very short haircut. “I went there to support him, but he was bursting with energy and confidence,” Valeryj Alaksandaraŭ told BPN.

On October 6, Judge Viačaslaŭ Tulejka, of the Minsk Regional Court, sentenced Alaksandraŭ to 14 years, Złobina to nine years, BelaPAN CEO and editor in chief Iryna Leŭšyna to four years and ex-CEO Dźmitryj Navažyłaŭ to six years in prison.

They were found guilty of establishing an extremist group (Alaksandraŭ, Leŭšyna, Navažyłaŭ), high treason (Alaksandraŭ, Złobina), tax evasion (Alaksandraŭ, Navažyłaŭ), and organization of actions grossly disturbing public order (Alaksandraŭ and Złobina). Human rights groups denounced the charges as politically motivated.