Volha Hajdukou, the mother of political prisoner Andrei Hajdukou, visited her son during a long-term meeting at colony No. 19 in Mahiliou, Radio Racyja reports.

The 24-year-old civil society activist, a former employee of the Navapolatsk-based Naftan oil refinery, was sentenced to 1 year and 6 months of imprisonment in a penal colony for alleged attempt to establish contacts with a foreign intelligence service.

Human rights defenders believe that his sentence was politically motivated. He is recognized as a political prisoner.

According to Volha Hajdukou, the meeting lasted for three days. Andrei’s sister Maria was also allowed to meet Andrei.

– He is an ordinary boy from an ordinary family, and now this savagery, of course for him it is a huge stress as well as for us. We had a meeting, we talked, he is doing well, he has not changed. He said that everything was fine, asked not to worry. Of course, he protects us, it is not all he could tell us, just like before, “I’m all right, I am alive and well, take care”. I saw he was OK. Andrei is still our Andrei, so I’m very pleased. It’s clear that he was not supposed to be in prison, – says Mrs. Hajdukou.

According to her, as early as on August 8, Andrei could have been released on parole. However, due to the fact that at that time he had only arrived in the colony, he wasn’t checked. Yet his mother hopes that Andrei has not lost his chances to be released before the end of the sentence.

Andrei Hajdukou was detained on November 8, 2012 in Vitebsk. He has been in custody since then.

racyja.com