63-year-old journalist Oleg Gruzdilovich, who was granted early release from the prison, was interviewed by Radio Liberty as to how he was treated in prison. He was convicted of covering mass protests in Belarus as a journalist, and sentenced to one and a half years in prison as a participant in the “actions that flagrantly violate public order.”
"It is obvious that the demands put on political and other inmates differ. Things that can be forgiven to ordinary people with white labels are unforgivable to the “white-red-white ones” [a white flag with a red stripe down the middle that used to be an official one for several years is now considered to be a protest flag in Belarus]. The threat of punishment was much higher… Only 2 days passed, and I ended up in the office of the chief executive, and he shouts: ‘Journalists, lawyers are the worst people in the world. You will answer me for everything! Ah, freedom? Yes, you will answer for everything!’ That's the attitude.”
