"Our People Among the Guards." Vinahradau — on the Humanity that Exists Even in Imprisonment

Vinahradau writes that he divides all employees of the penitentiary system into four categories.

"Category number one: hostile enemies. These fearless warriors don't wait for orders to find a violation against me. They themselves show initiative and, I must admit, considerable skill in searching for, for example, dust in my cell. They clearly derive pleasure from the process.

Category number two: people of the system. Classic cogs of our petty dictatorship. They will be given instructions — and they will carry them out as expected. Because, firstly, 'Well, why not?', and secondly, 'We don't just file papers against someone for no reason.' It makes you want to hang these overachievers. On the board of honor.

Category number three: *работникус вульгарис* (worker vulgaris). They don't want to engage in vile acts, but if management orders it, they will. Until 2020, he simply guarded criminals, and then unexpectedly found out that this was no longer enough. He perfectly understands that people like us shouldn't be there at all, but when the order comes in, he says the classic, I would even say, nauseating phrase: 'Well, you yourselves understand everything perfectly.'

And the category for which this text was written: people with a conscience. Practically none of them will openly support someone like me, but secretly! Secretly, all sorts of things happened."

According to Vinahradau, it is precisely thanks to such employees that political prisoners manage to receive a little support in inhumane conditions.

"They threw candies into my isolation cell, told the food server to put double rations, 'didn't notice violations,' 'didn't notice' during searches what absolutely shouldn't have been with me (and even conspiratorially winked), sent a repair crew to fix the radiator (though everyone knew that someone like me was NOT SUPPOSED to get warm), approached and told me about novelties in the video game industry, didn't put handcuffs on during transfers, gave more time in the shower, turned on the power outlet when NOT ALLOWED and even (!) annulled false papers for violations. 'Don't worry, I'll never file anything against you. I'm just hanging around here for show.' 'Pavel, many people here are against them pressing you so hard. Hold on.' 'I did everything I could for you. As they say, "if anything goes wrong, it's not me."'"

Vinahradau writes that he is glad these people did not quit working for the regime, did not take off their uniforms.

"Because otherwise, it would be harder for us to be imprisoned, and there, you know, it's not exactly a picnic anyway," he explains.

• 16
• 0
• 0
• 1
• 1
• 1
• 0
• 1