Kavalenka: I appealed for pardon without repentance and admittance of guilt

Euroradio: Syarhei, how did your release happen? Was it a surprise for you?

Syarhei Kavalenka: It was expected and unexpected at the same time. I thought it might happen in different ways. I signed the pardon appeal without repentance or admittance of guild as I am proud of what I've done. They offered me to write just "I am asking to release me", and told me I would be released in three days after that. It was on June 25. 

Euroradio: However, they did not release you then.

Syarhei Kavalenka: Yes. I realized that it was the opinion of the colony's administration. I thought I would be released then.

Euroradio: When did you find out about the release?

Syarhei Kavalenka: The day before yesterday. A representative of the Pope of Rome came to visit me and Pavel Syramalotau (anarchist, political prisoner, served punishment together with Syarhei Kavalenka - Euroradio). We talked with the help of the interpreter. He gave me the best regards from the Pope, I responded with the same. It was a very good and pleasant conversation. It was in the morning, and in the afternoon there arrived papers on release, the copies. The original documents were late so we waited till yesterday. I was released first and they told me that Pavel would be the second.

Syarhei Kavalenka was released from Mahileu colony at about 8 p.m. on September 26. He was accompanied to the train to Vitsebsk. Syarhei Kavalenka's wife, son and relatives met him at the station in his home city. He served more than a year of imprisonment for violation of his home confinement sentence.

On January 7, 2010 Syarhei Kavalenka hoisted a white-red-white flag on the city New Year tree in the center of Vitsebsk. After the incident he was arrested and sentenced to 3 years of home confinement.