As a rule, prison wardens across Belarus task political prisoners with clearing snow — down to the asphalt — during winter. They are forced to carry sack after sack of snow off site, usually with no opportunity to wash or warm themselves when they are finished.
One person who knows the drill well is Leanid Sudalenko, a human rights activist who was sentenced to three years in prison for his activities. He served his sentence in Vitebsk, where he arrived in the dead of winter.
"I've never seen that much snow in my life," says Sudalenko. "As soon as you enter the prison, everyone — including those in quarantine — is ordered out to the courtyard to start shoveling. You are given an improvised shovel consisting of a piece of plywood nailed to a broomstick and told to shovel down to the blacktop. It's not about clearing sidewalks like in the outside world," he says. "No, not a single snowflake is allowed to be seen at the prison."
Focus on political prisoners
Sudalenko says it is mostly political prisoners who get called out for snow duty. The Minsk-based human rights organization Viasna claims that Belarus currently holds more than 1,100. Sudalenko says there is no way to avoid the task without being punished — either with solitary confinement or by not being allowed to receive visitors or packages from home.
"Political prisoners cannot get out of the 'snow removal crew' and the work doesn't count against other tasks. That means you have to be up at least two hours earlier than your normal 4 a.m. wake-up call to make sure all of the snow is gone. By then, you are drenched in sweat but you can't really wash because there isn't enough time, nor are there enough showers," says Sudalenko.
Solitary confinement and frigid roll calls
Prisoners in Belarus are required to present themselves outside in the courtyard for roll call three times a day. The process can take up to an hour each time. All movement is strictly prohibited during and the roll call is never cancelled, shortened or moved inside — even in sub-zero temperatures.
The worst thing about freezing temperatures, says Sudalenko, is solitary confinement, which most political prisoners are subjected to. "Solitary also means torture by cold, because heaters don't work and there are no blankets. You have to sleep on the floor or on a bare metal cot. And warm underwear is also taken from you at the same time."
No breaks when it snows
Former political prisoner Darya Afanasyeva spent two winters in the Gomel Penal Colony, the only women's prison in Belarus. This is where Belarus opposition politician Maria Kolesnikova served five years of her sentence before her unexpected release in December 2025.
"When you are on the 7 a.m. to 3 p.m. early shift and see snowflakes start to fall, you know that you won't get to rest because you have to head out and start shoveling as soon as you are done with work," Afanasyeva says.
Those who have money can buy a good snow shovel, the others have to take what they get. "You don't just have to scrape the asphalt clean. You have to bag the snow and carry it away so administrators don't have to see it. There are massive piles of snow behind the canteen and the showers. Women fill bags the size of potato sacks full of snow. Some use shopping bags, either carrying them on their back or dragging them on the ground," she recalls.
No regard for prisoner health
Afanasyeva says she should not lift heavy things as the result of a medical condition. Nevertheless, she was forced to carry snow. "No one cares if you are freezing or sick. One winter, so many of us got sick — something like 40% — they even thought about quarantining us. In the end, they just started reporting fewer illnesses. That's the way prison administrators resolve problems. And by the way, those who are sick are often forced to wait in line outside in the freezing cold to pick up their medicine."
Sometimes it's even impossible to warm up inside. Afanasyeva says, for instance, that Gomel has a serious roofing problem in cellblock 13, meaning prisoners always have to wear thick coats, even when they sleep.
Women only allowed to wear skirts or dresses
Women in Belarus' prisons are also not allowed to wear pants. They have to wear skirts or dresses, with leggings — either prison-issue or from their families — being allowed underneath in winter.
"If you don't have support from home, you have neither warm underwear, nor a scarf," says Afanasyeva. "Some women wrap tights around their neck to keep themselves warm. But if the guards see this, they confiscate the tights and throw them away. Women also put sanitary napkins in their shoes because prison-issue shoes are not warm and do little to repel humidity."
Memories that cannot be erased
The former political prisoners who spoke with DW confessed that even after years of living in freedom, they still experience trauma every time winter rolls around. "You could call it surviving — or torture. The demands of prison administrators are completely ridiculous. They are a mockery," says Sudalenko.
Afanasyeva says that when she hears news reports of snow in Belarus she immediately thinks of how women in the nation's prisons will survive winter. "You aren't even allowed to put a scarf over your face for a little protection because it's against the rules. You aren't allowed to take a break from the grueling work of the sewing room. Some women even volunteer for extra shifts in order to avoid having to go outside and shovel." Afanasyeva says it is impossible for her to look at snow the same way she used to: "After what I went through at the penal colony, I no longer associate winter with the joy of childhood but with suffering."
