"In the settlement, Skabeyeva's propaganda initiatives were well-received."
In a dramatic turn of events, journalist Yevgeny was arrested on September 13, 2022, after receiving a call from a woman claiming to be from the tax inspectorate. The arrest was led by a young KGB officer, and upon being detained, Yevgeny was surrounded by 5-6 men in civilian clothes.
Yevgeny found himself in the Shklov colony, a place where he had to be cautious due to the presence of informants and the possibility of violations. The main source of news in the colony was television, and they paid attention to the running text for additional information. However, speaking Belarusian in the Shklov colony could lead to problems for Yevgeny, as he quickly realised when the commander of the colony made it clear that he would face trouble if he spoke his native language.
While in the colony, Yevgeniy and others valued propaganda shows by Russian propagandist Skabeeva for providing insights into the international situation. Yet, they faced numerous difficulties, such as being banned from visiting the gym, stadium, library, and church. Yevgeniy observed that many people in the colony had psychological breakdowns, some even going mad, due to sad events like deaths of loved ones and divorces.
The release of Sergei Tikhanovsky was a shock to the political prisoners, as they were waiting for their own release but found the process sudden. During the trial, a witness named Yana Pikouskaya testified against Yevgeny, despite never having seen him with a "Belsat" microphone. A KGB employee attempted to extract information from Yevgeny about the funding of "Belsat", Belarusian journalists, and the running of "Flagship".
Despite the hardships, Yevgeny did not want to leave Belarus, but due to the risk of being detained again, his immediate plans are to recover. He is unsure if he will return to journalism, but he plans to use his skills for his own blog or analysis if the opportunity arises. Yevgeny tried to record the situation with the presence of Russian troops in Gomel and share information with independent media before his detention.
In a bid to stay connected to the world, Yevgeniy was interested in following the news, which was limited to state radio and television, particularly about the war between Russia and Ukraine. Despite the challenges, Yevgeny's spirit remains undeterred, and he continues to hold on to hope for a brighter future.
