Behind Article 328: Unveiling Personal Stories of Individuals Convicted in Belarus
Elena is 68 years old and suffers from coxarthrosis and polyarthrosis of large joints. The woman used cannabis oil to relieve pain and improve sleep quality, but one day police officers knocked on her door. Elena shared her story with Legalize Belarus.
Alina (name changed) shared with Legalize Belarus the story of her husband’s detention. They raised their daughter together, who now may not see her father for a long time.
Nikita (name changed) shared with Legalize Belarus the story of his friend facing persecution under Article 328 based on another person's testimony.
Ignat (name changed) met with his acquaintance, and soon contact with him was lost.
In an interview with Legalize Belarus, Anton (name changed) shared that he mainly consumed cannabis, tried mephedrone and 2C-B a couple of times. He used them instead of alcohol because it helped him deal with depression.
Ekaterina (name changed), the mother of the convicted under article 328, shared the story of her son, who was arrested 5 years after deciding to smoke spice.
Legalize Belarus talked to the wife of the convict, Karina (name changed), who told about the difficult conditions of his imprisonment and personal experiences.
«It was an ordinary day, I went out on the street and went about my business, but my plans changed abruptly when the officers of the State Drug Control Committee stopped me on the pretext of clarifying some information. I got into their car, and they showed me a search warrant for the apartment where I lived,» says Ilya (name changed), Legalize Belarus.
When Victoria (name changed) was arrested, she was only 17 years old. She has already spent two years in prison and will not be released for long time.
Konstantin (name changed) told Legalize Belarus that he was 18 when he was arrested. «At that time, I used psychoactive substances, often smoked spice (a smoking blend containing synthetic substances). I constantly lacked money to buy it. Sometimes I had to pawn things,» the man says.