In the Donbass Gulag

Anatoly Polyakov, a volunteer from Russia, spent nine and a half months in the basements of the LPR. In the spring of 2015, he arrived in the Donbass with a humanitarian mission, but after successful negotiations on the evacuation of seriously ill children and prisoners of war were attacked on the street, hitting in handcuffs, put a bag on his head and imprisoned in the basement. In the prison of the Ministry of State Security of the "LPR", he was tortured and miraculously survived.

“I had a torn sweater and torn military rates. Nothing more. Nothing. The complete absence of daylight, fresh air and personal hygiene products. The skin acquired a gray color, like the walls in the basement, along the chamber moved like a shadow, thin, with a large beard and long shaggy hair. The militants called me a“ basement man. ” The unbearable heat was 35–40 . Anatoly Polyakov told in an interview with Radio Liberty .

Anatoly Polyakov

In 2016, Anatoly Polyakov managed to escape from the new Gulag that arose in the territories of Donbass controlled by the separatists, and he headed the Association of prisoners in Kyiv. One of the tasks of this association is to prepare the legislative framework for helping Ukrainians returning from captivity. Anatoly Polyakov and his comrades prepared the draft law "On the legal status of persons illegally deprived of freedom by illegal armed forces, law enforcement agencies of a foreign state or illegally convicted."

Anatoly Polyakov told Radio Liberty about this bill, which will be considered by the Verkhovna Rada in 2018.

- 74 people were released on December 27 . How many people have visited the separatist republics in prisons in recent years?

- The "death camps" took place 3136 people: 1536 military personnel and 1532 civilians. To date, about 150 more people are held. The main number is in the Donetsk Republic, a small part is in Lugansk.

- All cases are dramatic, but even after liberation, hostages are faced with difficulties.

Single chambers, torture, torture, personality suppression and meager nutrition

- Captivity is scary. Of course, each fate has its own drama, its own experiences, its own tragedy, but one unites all: single cameras, torture, torture, suppression of personality and meager nutrition. For a long time, devoid of elementary human conditions, without fresh air, hygiene, daylight, each with his own internal struggle for survival, where the main thing is to remain a person! All this is captured! Having passed the circles of hell, they return, hear pathos words in honor of liberation, but there is no legislative framework that would provide them with legal status and the entire complex of social and legal protection. If there is no targeted approach, we will not solve this problem with one -time handouts.

- Many were tortured and beaten in prisons, they need special help.

- Quite true, there should be a long -term both medical and psychological support for the released, and not one -time help. Physical and mental complications begin to appear as a rule in the third month, sometimes in six months, in some in a year. People fall into depression, experience a difficult emotional period.

- You had hard in captivity, and the process of your rehabilitation was also very complicated. How do you feel now?

At the time of liberation, I weighed 40 kg and made animal sounds resembling a barking dog. This was the most severe heritage of captivity

- When I was freed from captivity, I had a wide set of all kinds of diseases, I lost 25 kg (at the time of release I weighed 40 kg) and made animals that resemble the barking of the dogs. This was the most severe heritage of captivity. Imagine when the “lava” of various animals of sounds is erupted from you, which cannot be stopped or drowned out. Believe me, it is very painful and emotionally difficult! I had to constantly cover my face and ask for an apology from the interlocutors, explaining that this is not contagious. But many still turned away, it was especially difficult in public places where you were starting to make comments or reproach that I am a peddler of infection. It was very difficult to survive. Today, health is better, two years after the release, I found the cause of this "animal pronunciation." I was treated, but I can’t say that I finally got rid of it! It has to go to the hospital every six months, all this is on a paid basis. I can’t say that I finally adapted to peaceful life. The only thing that gives me strength and incentive is work on the law on the status of prisoners. The law is my rehabilitation.

- Why did you, having no citizenship and support in Ukraine, decide to engage in legislative activities ?

After captivity, everyone who survived this hell became my family

- Citizenship is a matter of time. After captivity, everyone who survived this hell became my family. Therefore, I consider it my duty to do everything in my power so that these people would not feel infringed in their own country, but on the contrary, they could self -realize and feel themselves full and demanded citizens in the country for which they suffered.

I myself faced many difficulties, the first two months after the release were a real test for me. For a long time I could not get elementary medical care. Sometimes the doctors walked towards me and left me for the night in the residential, and in the morning I had to walk in the corridor. If it were not for the support of the wife and girls (psychologists and social workers) from the “ Blackite Ptach ”, I don’t know how I could cope with this. Irina Gerashchenko later connected, and I was hospitalized.

In February of the 16th, walking around the woman’s fierce, I thought that in such a situation there were almost everyone who survived the captivity, and the idea of the draft law on the status of prisoners arose. And from that moment on over 22 months I have completely devoted myself to the law. Many laughed, did not take seriously, said that it was unrealistic. But I believed and treated the law as my own child. I had the support of my wife and my twin, who believed in me so much that I could not but justify their hopes. Today, the draft law is registered in the Verkhovna Rada and, I hope that everyone who has experienced captivity will receive support in the form of social and legal protection, which will significantly facilitate their reappration after captivity. This is in some way the recognition by the state of their merits.

- What did you have to encounter in the preparation of the draft law and are there great chances that such a law will be accepted?

Military personnel should know that in captivity they can give any testimony without fear of persecution by the state for which they fought

- The process of preparing the draft law before registration in the Rada was not easy. For me, this was no less complicated than captivity, it was a path through the labyrinth of political intrigues, rejection and deception, when hopes were replaced by disappointment, and supported only confidence in the correctness of the selected path. Which served as an incentive to complete the first stage of promoting the law. There were many promises, but nothing moved beyond the words. And only after the draft law was used to a number of deputies, the process moved. I am very grateful to Igor Mamontov, honored lawyer of Ukraine, it was he who recently helped me in finalizing the law and its promotion. It is unlikely that without his help the project would be registered. The walking way is going - I always repeated this phrase for myself and continued to believe in the correctness of the chosen path. I am sure the law will be adopted for two reasons. Firstly, these are deputies who brought him to the Verkhovna Rada: R. Shukhevich, A. Tretyakov, O. Petrenko, A. Biletsky. Secondly, before registering the draft law, a meeting with the President of Ukraine Petro Poroshenko, who approved and supported our initiative, made his comments pre-approved.

- What exactly do you offer?

People returning from captivity should know that those who have tortured them will be prosecuted sooner or later

- The law is based on three basic principles. This is legal, psychological and social rehabilitation. If we talk about legal rehabilitation, then, first of all, this is ensuring the defense of the former prisoners from various attacks, accusations of betrayal, etc. Any actions (with the exception of harm to health or life to third parties) cannot be a crime, since they were committed under the threat of life and health from terrorists or occupation forces. It is no secret that many have to speak to the media of the occupation authorities, criticizing the power of Ukraine, give “confession”, report secret information or give consent to cooperation with representatives of the special services of the “republics”. Military personnel should know that in case of captivity, they can give any testimony without fear of further persecution by the state for which they fought. The second is the inevitability of the punishment of tormentors. People returning from captivity should know that those who underwent torture will be prosecuted sooner or later.

As for psychological rehabilitation, there are many problems. Unfortunately, in Ukraine there are not enough prepared psychologists specializing in assisting former prisoners who have received psychological trauma. There are volunteers who are engaged in this, and at the state level the process is not settled. Therefore, we are more likely to resort to drug treatment, without fully using the ability of the body itself and the human psyche to self -healing and self -regulation, which is fundamentally wrong. There should be an understanding of the deep processes taking place in the subconscious and the psyche of a person who has been captured and passed these tests. It is necessary to use the latest and most effective achievements of non -drug correction and therapy of the psychological state of people who have experienced traumatic events.

As for social rehabilitation, it is very important to understand that many have housing and all property in the occupied territories. Under our law, these guys will be provided with social housing, which I consider very important. Financial compensation is provided. Any man who is captured is not able to provide his family, which is significantly reflected in his psychological state. Financial support can be considered as part of social rehabilitation.

- You said that the law should guarantee that people who captured hostages and tortured them will be punished. This is difficult to do because Russia guarantees the impunity of these people. While there is no fundamental solution to the conflict, there will be no retaliation. How do you see this decision?

- The guys who return from captivity know their executioners and overseers. I am sure that the prosecutor’s office should work more actively, identify these people and make them in absentia accusations. As for the conflict, there are two ways: the complete phased implementation of the Minsk agreements or the recognition of Russia by the conflict with all the ensuing consequences. There is no third way.

Religious scholar Igor Kozlovsky spent almost two years in DPR dungeons

- 150 people after the Great December exchange still remain in captivity. Is there a hope for their release?

The lives of our guys are much more important and more valuable than the lives of these scum from "Berkut"

- When the exchange took place, I was madly happy, called relatives, I had tears with happiness. And at the same time, the tears of bitterness, because I understood that our guys still remain there. The prospects of the next exchange are still ghostly, the reason is the requirement of Ordlo to transfer to them the former Berkut employees who are suspected of committing especially serious crimes during peaceful actions in Kyiv in February 2014. This is a stumbling block today. I believe that if they are really involved in the execution, you need to bear the verdict and give it to the side. The lives of our guys are much more important and more valuable than the lives of these scum that are on our territory. They will still be punished in which part of the world they would not be.

- What, except for the preparation of the draft law, does your organization offer?

- Two priority areas are to contribute to the speedy liberation of our guys from captivity and the adoption of a law on the status of a prisoner. In addition, we open the branches of the Ukrainian Association of prisoners in each region of Ukraine, and in the second decade of this year we plan to hold the All -Ukrainian Congress of prisoners. In parallel with organizational measures, we plan in January the opening of the hostel in Kyiv for prisoners and their relatives, it will be possible to stop for several days or for a longer time. This may be a medical examination, employment, study or other issues related to temporary stay in the hostel. Then we plan to open such hostels in every large city. Also on the agenda is the issue of forming a commission to protect the rights of prisoners under the President of Ukraine or under the Verkhovna Rada. The decision on this issue will be made in the near future.

- Do you feel more a Russian or a Ukrainian?

- A person who has a Ukrainian heart and a Russian soul.

Notes Anatoly Polyakova:

It hurts when your soul resembles a torn, crumpled sheet of paper

Deprived of freedom and reality, captives are alone with themselves and their thoughts. The time stops in the basement, and after months and years they continue to live the days that they remember to captivity. Once at large, it is very difficult to overcome the temporary gap, which painfully reflects in the psychological state of the survivors of captivity. Not everyone manages to cope with this, which leads to suicide, madness and family dramas. It hurts when your soul resembles a torn, crumpled sheet of paper. The state is in no hurry to recognize the victims of captivity and provide them with social and legal protection that they need so much! This is not someone else's pain, this is the pain of our country, these are our people, and we must achieve their speedy liberation!

Destroyed Iversky Monastery near the Donetsk airport, 2017

When the line between life and death is erased, and your mind, rejecting reality, tries to hide you inside the subconscious, your soul shouts and appeals for help. You only want one thing: to hear that you are alive and need support.
Feelings are aggravated in isolation, and you feel those who really love you and are waiting. Therefore, it is important that for many years you have been waiting and believed, go out and shouted in response to them. Today, the whole country is waiting with you and prays for their return.

We do not know what you feel now, when there are three years of captivity, torture and loneliness, when you are trying to find the shape of your beloved’s face in the depths of your mind and recall the tenderness of the touch of her hands. What do you think of us, who does not know what captivity is. You value time and you know that joy is in the little things, and your relatives know this, who believe in you and in your soon return. You will definitely come back and feel the tenderness of maternal love again, you will again experience an incomparable happiness from touching your beloved, as in the first minutes of your acquaintance. Remember, soldier, what awaits you !! Keep the Lord you and your loved ones!

A terrible word is captured.

The second day of the mother and wives of prisoners are under the walls of the Verkhovna Rada. Many of them have not known peace for the third year, and their eyes have long dried up from tears. How I want officials to look at the hearts of these unfortunate women for a minute. In the hearts of mothers who squeeze and doused with blood during the word "captivity", in the hearts of wives who have long ceased to rejoice and forgot what a normal dream is in the hearts of children who saw the father only in the photograph. Perhaps then they will feel that it is to live when there is no faith and hope, when every day of waiting turns into a heavy burden. I have no words to convey emotions when I see these grief women killed. I believe that every day it brings a meeting with your family! September 29, 2015 - on this day I lost consciousness and almost lost touch with reality. I have long turned into a basement shadow and was slowly dying. The militants were frightened that I would move into another world, and decided to transfer me to a camera on the ground floor.

Anatoly Polyakov

Opening the door, the first thing I felt my eyes to be full of was a long absence of daylight and fresh air. Slowly I went into the middle of the room, took a chair and put it opposite the windows, crouched, and the first thing I felt like the sun's rays, like gentle maternal palms, touched my face. Дневной свет, солнце, свежий воздух, колышущиеся деревья и лающие собаки вдохнули в меня жизнь, и смерть отступила. Я купался в счастье, словно ребенок, именно в этот миг я понял, насколько мы обесцениваем то, что всегда находится рядом.

В этой камере я провел несколько дней…