Seviarynets: Dramas worthy of Shakespeare unfolded at night in our special corridor at Valadarka

«Valadarka. Special corridor. Female post and guard antics.

In 2020-2021, I had to spend eight months at Valadarka in cell 101, a cramped "two-person cell", in the so-called special corridor. Here, in the old prison building, probably from the 19th century, there were several nooks for COVID quarantine, a "freezer" with broken glass, solitary confinement (ShIZA), and a block lined with armored sheets for the "special contingent" — those sentenced to life imprisonment or to death. They say such prisoners are now held in Zhodzina or Kaliadzichy — but back then, Valadarka, it seems, was a "transit point" for them.

My cell, through which both Siarhei Tsikhanouski and later Ales Bialiatski passed, was a tiny den measuring two by three and a half meters, the main part of which was occupied by double bunks (first and second tiers).

Near the entrance was a 'hole' (toilet), and between the bunks and the wall — a microscopic table with welded iron "seats".

The space was approximately like in a bus toilet. To squeeze through to the window (cracked glass with a draft, bars, and "gates"), one had to perform gymnastics and suck in their stomach.

The space for "walking around" was one and a half steps back and forth between the door and the table. Two people couldn't pass each other, so life in that two-person cell turned into "Tetris".

With a light tap on the walls and in the door niche, I immediately detected several suspicious hollows: in prison, these usually indicate the installation of listening devices. Judging by everything, the eavesdropping here was sophisticated.

But it was actually better here than in "Shanghai" or Akrestina. While mass protests were ongoing, precisely caused by violence in prisons, the stunned administration initially left political prisoners untouched. Only closer to winter, on the way to the shower, did I see Mikalai Dziadok in solitary confinement.

The guards at Valadarka — that was something special.

The special corridor leads from the female wing of the prison, so the guard post here was female. The officers were mostly village girls from the Minsk region in camouflage, with a distinct trasianka in their speech.

On the one hand, it was interesting to observe their vaguely friendly reaction to the Belarusian language; on the other hand — prison is prison: sometimes those girls would utter vulgar, abusive language.

And at night in our special corridor, dramas worthy of Shakespeare unfolded.

Wardens and officers — men. The post guards — girls. Night. The shift starts, an electric kettle hums, tea is drunk, hushed voices — and it begins.

Not infrequently from the special corridor one could hear loud slaps, giggling, kisses, sobs, and relationship arguments. One night, the female guards even fought and pulled each other's hair.

The dashing warden during the morning inspection was red as a beet. They were not ashamed of the prisoners.

And from time to time, one of the criminals, having a dispute with the warden through the "food slot", would burst out: «I'll tell the boss how you grope the girls on the night shift!»

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