About three months ago, in his annual address to the nation and the parliament, Alexander Lukashenko paid special attention to the problem of alcohol abuse population of Belarus. According to the president, people suffering from alcoholism, must be forced to "treat" work therapy. "I am convinced that the best boozer – education through labor", – said the head of state.
Thus, Alexander Lukashenko, has once again confirmed that he supports the preservation of the country's system of medical-labor dispensaries (LTP) – an institution subordinated to the Ministry of the Interior, which are dependent on alcohol forced to undergo "treatment" is through "education through labor". In Belarus, this system works for many years, so we can draw practical conclusions about its effectiveness.
The problem really exists
Certainly, Alexander Lukashenko, right when he says about the urgency of the problem of alcohol abuse in the country. According to a recent global report by the World Health Organisation, Belarus is a sad 10th place in the ranking of countries in terms of alcohol consumption. The average Belarusian, over 15 years, uses 15.13 liters of pure alcohol per year.
Incidentally, this is not the worst figure for the country in the history of the creation of such ratings. According to the previous report of the WHO, Belarus has recently been on did not honor the 1st place among all countries of the world.
During the last years there has been a steady decline in the consumption of alcoholic beverages Belarusians, but is complacency. The level of alcoholism is still one of the highest in the world. And the number of crimes committed while intoxicated, is not reduced. Particularly acute problem of representing a threat to the nation, is in small towns where it is difficult to get a job with more or less decent earnings, as well as in rural areas.
The fact that alcoholism country something to do – this one will not argue. So maybe Lukashenko offers quite reasonable, about the treatment of alcohol addicted people work? Perhaps, indeed, BOB, which on a plan just realized the idea of re-initiation of alcoholics through labor, is an effective way to solve the problem?
A bit of history
The history of forced "treatment" of people in the LTP has more than half a century. The system of medical-labor dispensaries widely used in the Soviet Union, since 1964. February 5, 1965 the decree of the Presidium of the Supreme Soviet of the Byelorussian SSR "On compulsory treatment and labor re-education worst drunks (alcoholics)", and already on May 18 the same year opened the first in the country Levon of LTP. It was created on the basis of corrective labor colony UZH 15/3.
In Soviet LTP sent "malicious drunkard" who violated the "labor discipline and public order or the socialist way of life." The decision to send citizens to the district courts. Such decisions are appealable to the court of cassation is not subject. The term of the LTP ranged from 6 months to 2 years.
Opening of the first in the republic activity therapy centers on the basis of the former colony for convicted on criminal charges is not accidental. The initiators of the creation of a network of LTP did not differ ingenuity, so almost completely taken over the conditions and the style of work of new institutions with camps in which prisoners were serving prison sentences assigned to them. And there, and there is the main means of educating inmates was forced labor.
The philosophical digression
It is known that in Soviet times the word "work" was more than one of the usual words in the dictionary. "Trud" ("Work") – is not only the name of the main trade union newspaper of the USSR. This word was given, in fact, a sacred value.
In a country which is officially proclaimed that "there is no God," and began to lead an active struggle against the "religious intoxication," the place of God took the pantheon of historical religions not previously known "gods-idols", created by the ideologists of the new ersatz religion, which was called "dialectical materialism. " And perhaps the first place in the pantheon occupied it "work". "Work" has replaced the Creator. In fact, he was the demiurge – impersonal beginning, by which we humans came into being as a species: the fact that "labor is made from monkey man" knew every Soviet schoolchild.
It is therefore not surprising that labor pays the greatest role in correcting those who had the "sins" against the new state ideologii– "religion." Starting from ordinary pickpockets, which are at all times, and up to the "enemies" – all had to "reforge" work. Soviet prison inmates were called "labor camps." Many, of course, did not survive and died in the intolerable conditions of stay in the camps, but is it possible to complain to the "Demiurge" – "work" if such was his verdict on the fate of the perpetrators?
There were establishments where the main instrument for re-those who stumbled, and in other communist countries. Only recently the system of labor camps that operated there since 1957, refused to China. But in the Democratic People's Republic of forced labor camps are to this day.
Of course, in different countries, the prisoners were forced to forced labor, long before the advent of the communist idea. But never before the Soviet system of forced labor camps prisoners called means of reeducation. Yes, before the Soviet Union was hard labor. There was also a labor of convicts – but he always considered only as a tool of punishment of criminals. And only in the USSR, and then in other communist countries, exhausting work – it's not a punishment, but "good" for the prisoner of his way to re-make, if not bent, a worthy citizen of the country ...
Continued historical perspective
Perhaps the only difference between "zone" and the Soviet LTP was that the last guests were not considered criminals, and on leaving the place of his release did not acquire the status of "criminal record" with all the consequences that flow from that status. Otherwise, everything was like in the camp barbed wire, the guard, guards, build, punishment for even the most minor breaches of discipline.
As in the penitentiary system, LTP in the Soviet Union had to be self-sufficient: the cost of maintaining the state jails were covered by income from the labor of inmates.
The principle of self-sufficiency for the prison was proclaimed at the dawn of the new communist regime in Bolshevik Russia. For example, in June 1918, the Central punitive department published "Temporary instruction NKJU" (NKJU – People's Commissariat of Justice). Instructions define how should be implemented a new prison policy. Sustainability, along with a complete re-prisoners was declared one of the basic principles of operation of prisons. Before, in Tsarist Russian Empire, subsidized by the state prison and nobody even dreamed to achieve full correction of all prisoners.
But it took years to principles that initially existed only on paper (in 1918, only 2 percent of the prisoners were provided with work), we began at least in some approximation implemented. Although fully implement these principles never failed: the Gulag system, which arose soon, still not "correct" the cons, especially for the "socially close" – criminals convicted of crimes, not "enemies of the people." A grueling forced labor, although widely used, has been ineffective, as any slave labor, and the state still had to spend the finances to maintain the system of labor camps.
Nevertheless, with the advent of the detention of a new type – LTP, the basis of their activities were put the same principles that worked in the jails for criminals. And, as with the case of criminals, those principles were not working as it should. Even in the Soviet Union knew that compulsory treatment for alcoholism cannot be effective, and this is confirmed in practice – after the release of many of those who are "cured" once again become friends "green dragon" and not rare cases were re-sentenced to LTP those who had already been there. Sustainability institutions and existed only on paper: their construction, maintenance staff constantly directed considerable allocations from the state budget.
It should be noted that in Soviet LTP got not only the "hard-core drinkers." Network LTP is also part of the "re-education" of dissidents. To this end, it has been used, along with prison camps and other penal institutions (in which dissenters with the onset of the Khrushchev "thaw" after the fall is not as "enemies of the people", and like "parasites") and psychiatric hospitals.
The fate of LTP during the restructuring
The dissidents who fought for human rights in the Soviet Union was considered a part of the Soviet penal system LTP and demanded their closure. Gorbachev's perestroika brought to the wind of change.
Recent dissidents become deputies, their performance at the Congress of People's Deputies of the USSR are broadcast live on television. Perhaps the most outstanding figure among the fighters for human rights in the Soviet Union, which perestroika got parliamentary mandate is Academician Andrei Sakharov. Thousands of people sent him a letter of encouragement to its activities, reports of human rights abuses and asking for help. Among the authors of letters academician – and the inhabitants of LTP.
Published data on the number of collective letters to Sakharov received from places of compulsory treatment for alcoholism. In 1989, one SA Kardakov and other (of the letter of 10 signatures) wrote Academician of abuse, violence and torture by the administration of LTP in Magnitogorsk and ask for his help. 120 signatures of prisoners LTP, is near the town of Apatity, it is a different letter received in the same year. The author of this letter, SJ Pisarin shared with Sakharov as a man who "can help" his arguments about the fact that the system of LTP – extralegal and is based on violence. In fact, the author, its main purpose – cheap labor.
At this time related to the LTP and changes in society and the state. In 1990, the Constitutional Review Committee of the USSR recognizes the LTP system unconstitutional. The Committee noted that involuntary placement in LTP those suffering from alcoholism and drug addiction, is "isolation from society for quite a long time, which brings the measure to the criminal punishment – deprivation of liberty."
"Treatment of patients with alcoholism and drug addiction who have not committed crimes, should be carried out on a voluntary basis in health, not in prison," – concludes the USSR Constitutional Review Committee in its opinion "about the legislation on compulsory treatment and labor re-education of persons suffering from alcoholism and drug addiction. "
The collapse of the Soviet Union coincided with the beginning of the virtual elimination of LTP in the territory of the former Soviet republics.
February 28, 1991 leaves the decision of the Supreme Soviet of the RSFSR № 754-1 «On the release of persons from medical-labor dispensaries for chronic alcoholics," which instructs the "release of medical-labor dispensaries for chronic alcoholics, people sent to these institutions only upon their evasion voluntary treatment or in connection with the continuation of the use of alcoholic beverages after treatment. " According to the decree, the Soviets of People's Deputies, which are located on the territory of the LTP are obliged within a month to create a special commission, with the conclusion that the prosecutor must make an order for the release of citizens from the LTP. "Resolution of the Commission for the release of persons from the medical-labor dispensaries subject to immediate execution dispensary administration" – says the decision of the RSFSR Supreme Soviet.
Resolution, similar to Russian, Belarus was adopted a few months later, June 21, 1991. Resolution of the Supreme Soviet of the BSSR № 887-XII «On the order of exemption of certain categories of persons detained in medical-labor dispensaries" has a significant difference from the Russian document. According to this decision, in Belarus and in Russia, local councils must create a commission, which must "examine all the cases for persons detained in medical-labor dispensaries." But here by the Commission does not have the authority to make decisions for the immediate release of citizens from the LTP, the procedure is more complicated: "Cases opinion of the Committee are sent to the district (city) courts ... these people's courts considered the case within ten days from the date of their arrival" – and courts are already relevant regulations.
In most of the new states that emerged in the Soviet Union after its collapse, LTP – somewhere before, somewhere later – the de facto eliminated, though it took years to the abolition of the system of LTP was enshrined in the legal documents. For example, in Russia the system of medical-labor dispensaries de yure was abolished from 1 July 1994, in accordance with the decree of President Boris Yeltsin.
Of the former Soviet republics to date medical-labor dispensaries exist only in Turkmenistan, in the unrecognized Pridnestrovian Moldavian Republic and the Republic of Belarus ...
Belarus is the reservation safeguarding the USSR
In 1991, the same day as the Resolution on the procedure for release of the LTP of certain categories of citizens, the Supreme Council of the BSSR approves "Regulations on the activity therapy centers for chronic alcoholics and drug addicts, who systematically violate the public order or the rights of others" and the Law "On Measures enforcement exposure for chronic alcoholics and drug addicts, systematically violate public order or the rights of others. " These legal acts have continued to act in an independent Belarus after the collapse of the Soviet Union.
Legal documents about closing activity therapy centers in Belarus and has not appeared. In October 1994, when the neighboring Russia has already entered into force, said Yeltsin's decree, the Law of 1991 was introduced only a single amendment: Abolished Article 11 of the Act, which establishes criminal liability for escaping from LTP, he continued to act as law. And it acts as amended, adopted in 2000 and 2008, while in December 2009 the House of Representatives of the National Assembly did not adopt a new law – "On the order and conditions of citizens in the areas of medical-labor dispensaries conditions and finding in them" ( This law came into force on 4 January 2010).
Belarusian LTP, as in Soviet times, are not subordinated to the Ministry of Health that it would be logical, as the Ministry of Interior – or rather, the Department of Corrections (DIN), the Ministry of Interior of the Republic of Belarus.
The system is gaining momentum
However, despite the fact that the system of medical-labor dispensaries in Belarus has not been abolished, immediately after 1991 the courts do not often send citizens in LTP. Things began to change in the early 2000s, and in recent years the Soviet practice of "treatment" of alcoholics using occupational therapy is becoming a larger and larger scale.
With an increasing number of decisions on the direction of people for forced "treatment" received by the courts, it became necessary to open new dispensaries. If until 2003 the country had only two institutions – in Svetlogorsk and Novogrudok, then 5 years later, in 2008, their number was already 2 times more. Among them – the first women's LTP, in the village of Gorki district Staroselie.
Fifth institution, which began to operate in the country, became Vitebsk LTP № 4. decree on its formation was signed by Lukashenko in December 2008, and in March 2009 it was opened.
Accordingly, the increase in the number of LTP is growing and the number of "patients." According to open sources, in 2008, both LTP "treated" 3,700. By the end of October 2009, this figure was already about 4700. And today the contingent has increased to 6,700.
In recent years, the courts shall decide on the direction in LTP is greater than the latter to take, so that even formed a "place" in which the future 'patients' waiting room in the dispensary to a few months. In this regard, in 2014 it was decided to increase the number of institutions on the right 3 – from 6 to 9. These nine medical-labor dispensaries, including 3 women, act now.
Vitebsk region is the leader in the number of LTP
As for the Vitebsk region, it is in first place among all regions of the country by the number of LTP. Apart from the mentioned LTP number 4, there are still LTP number 9 (Vitebsk) and LTP number 8 (Novopolotsk).
LTP number 9 for women. This dispensary was established as a branch of LTP number 4 in 2013 on the basis of number 1 educational colony for juvenile offenders, and have recently been converted into a separate institution.
Novopolotsk LTP number 8 appeared on the site of the liquidated penal colony number 10 in the fall of 2014, which was known for its poor ecology. Here is what this colony mother of the political prisoner Igor Olinevich sitting in her Valentine Olinevich: "This is a chemical laboratory throughout Belarus. It is located between the plants "polymer" and "Naftan", there is no grass and trees. People retire earlier and receive hazard pay, there are environmentally harmful area. It is necessary to prohibit include people there. There are air tight and come out on a date begin to cough."
It is unlikely that the transformation of this place from the colony in the LTP environmental situation there has improved, but apparently, the authorities believe that for patients with alcoholism increased likelihood sick with something else because of poor environmental protection are not something important.
How to get into the LTP: the procedure established by law
According to the legislation, in order to get into the medical-labor dispensaries, citizens need throughout the year to make three or more offenses while intoxicated or under the influence of narcotic or psychotropic substances. Such citizens are directed to a medical examination, which should establish the diagnosis of chronic alcoholism, drug addiction or substance abuse. After that, within ten days of the citizen receives a warning about the possibility of sending it to the LTP.
If within one year after receipt of such notice, he again committed an offense, he re-directed to physicians, which confirms the previously exhibited the diagnosis of chronic alcoholism (drug addiction, substance abuse), and conclude on the absence of medical contraindications for the citizen of being in an LTS. During the next ten days, the chief organ of the Ministry of Interior or his deputy shall submit the case to the court, which decides on the direction of the citizen in activity therapy centers.
Of course, every action police or judicial decision – bringing to administrative responsibility for the offense, referral to a medical board, warning of the possibility of referral to the forced "treatment" and, finally, the decision of the court on the direction in LTP – can be appealed.
A special procedure is provided for obligated persons who must compensate for the costs incurred by the government for the maintenance of their children in public care. To be in the LTP, this category of people enough to make them twice during the year, violated labor discipline because of the use of alcohol, drugs or psychotropic received a warning and for a year after that again violated labor discipline.
The legislation defines a list of persons who cannot be sent to the LTP. They are citizens who have not attained the age of 18, or, on the contrary, have reached retirement age (men – 60 years, women – 55 years old), pregnant women and women with children under the age of one year, disabled groups I and II, the citizens, who identified disease affecting their stay in the LTP – the list of diseases approved by the Ministry of Health.
How to get into the LTP: Practice
There is a law, but there law enforcement practice. At the level of the law, it looks like it is not bad – in the LTP should fall exclusively chronic alcoholics, who systematically violate the public order. But in practice, as we found out to be in the LTP, and cannot be an alcoholic and the offender, although, of course, fall back and such.
The former "patients" of LTP told us how police officers literally hunt for some citizens to catch them in a drunken state, they make up the protocol. At the same time it is not necessary that the person rowdy, obscene language, indecent or insulting behaved their views or actions of others.
Suffice it to the mere fact of having alcohol in the blood to him was drawn up an administrative offense – though for disorderly conduct or appearance in a public place in a drunken state, an affront to human dignity and morality. You can be a little drunk, quietly go without disturbing anyone – if the police decided to make a person a protocol that he not only was not quite sober, but also violated the public order, they will do it.
The courts tend to side with police officers that when dealing with such cases themselves act as witnesses. Often, the procedure of adjudication by judges for "drunk" articles of the Administrative Code, only at a stretch be called trial: judge's office through one after the other for five minutes can pass almost a dozen people who, having no legal knowledge, not to resist, that proceedings against them are with clear procedural violations.
Our interlocutors from among those who have been in the LTP, told us about this practice, as the policemen on duty near the bars and cafes. Usually this happens the night before the weekend. A man comes out of the pub, it takes a few steps – and then it stopped. Driven to the police station, draw up a report, delayed until the first business day, then brought to the court...
It should be noted that not all take. First of all the police officers for youth, which is able to work well. That young people predominate among the inhabitants of LTP.
Another feature: more than half of those who fall in the "treatment" are people with a criminal record. This is hardly a coincidence. Probably easier to send the district released from prison, on another "stints" – this time in the LTP than in accordance with their official duties lead them oversight.
Stories of people
Only a few people from among those with whom we were able to talk, agreed to talk on camera about his dealings with law enforcement officers and the experience of being in an LTS.
With Alexander Evgenyevich we met a few days after the trial. The decision on its direction of LTP at the time had not yet come into force, and has last days in freedom. The court ruling on forced "treatment" has decided not to appeal because the thought that the benefits of this will not, so do not waste money on a state fee for filing a complaint.
He works in the field-crop farm. Absenteeism at work or penalties had not. On the court his boss came and gave his employee a good reference and asked to be left free, but this request did not influence the judge's decision.
Alexander has a criminal record. This is what he explains to his attention by the police, which, according to him, especially his catching. He said as a former policeman incited women – his friends, so that they took him out of the apartment when he was drunk, to grab it at the entrance, "in a public place." Women did not go to it, and the next day about the case, said Alexander.
Another case: "I have a house just three hundred meters from the house. He drank a glass of vodka there, suffered a second half-bottle home. They saw that I came from the country and stopped halfway."
Last time Alexander was caught when he drank beer and went to the store for cigarettes. The test showed a blood alcohol content of 0.8 ppm. It was enough to "earn" a protocol on the next offense.
Then there was the Medical Commission: "I just checked health. We listened to the heart, the pressure measured – and that's all." With this procedure, the doctor apparently enough to come to the conclusion that Alexander suffers from chronic alcoholism and, at the same time, does not have illnesses that would prevent his stay in the LTP.
Nikolai Ivanovich (name changed) – "shall" a person has to pay the government money for the maintenance of the child. The LTP has visited several times. He says that the police literally hunt for him, even broke into his house: "If even breathed on them beer – taken immediately."
Nikolai told about the latter case, as he was taken: "I had a friend who had been drinking. I walked with him, brought him home. I come back. They were standing on the road. I went up to them – they include lights – boom, and everything! Even home is not closed, there been heated oven, TV worked."
Vladimir Mikhailovich 59 years. Once he graduated from the Leningrad Naval College. He went on ships of Latvian Shipping Company abroad. Then he divorced his wife and now lives alone. It has an adult son who lives in Australia.
"Me and Mikhalka took in the house – and just for a day. We do not have the right, but so what – it's the police. Riot police arrived. Here we riot police and taken away," – said Vladimir. It seems to happen when law enforcement officers visited by people back home to make them the protocol "for appearing in a state of intoxication in a public place" – not such a rarity.
Before Vladimir was brought to administrative responsibility, there was no one more times to send it to the LTP. In all likelihood, the staff did not want to wait a long time when it comes their street in a condition suitable for the protocol, and so we decided to speed up the process.
As in prison
What in the name of the institution for the seclusion of patients with alcoholism include the word "dispensary" should not be misleading. Terms of residence in LTP is not reminiscent of the usual dispensary in which people acquire vouchers to improve their health there. Many of the former "patients", to which the author of these lines happened to meet during the preparation of the publication (among them were those who not only took BOB, but also correctional colonies), compared with LTP prison.
Since LTP are subordinate to MIA, it is not surprising that many are reminiscent of the zone: the regime of movement within strictly regulated – to build even go into the dining room, for violation of the regime – sanctions up to disciplinary placement in the room (in fact, an analogue of the penalty isolator or cooler).
Vladimir: "Everything – absolutely on the area. The rise – in 7. More precisely, 6 up, then – the toilet and so on. After – the construction, testing, systems must go if one – "not allowed." With a card have to be. If not, the controller necessarily prideretsya – and here you already have a punishment."
"Living in the sections. It's like a class in school, only specially equipped: two bunk. In one room – in some cases even by forty placed. We had twenty-four."
However, not all is bad. Nikolai asked about life replied briefly: "The conditions of life – normal. The food on the slaughter." With the latest approval disagree Vladimir: "Feeding – a terrible, almost like in the zone." However, men are "sitting" in various institutions, this, perhaps, explains the difference in their assessments. And Nicholas, when the conversation, noted that there were some inconveniences, "Shower – according to the schedule. Because the soul is that there is only cold water. And sometimes vice versa, hot – hot water."
Dispensary – "therapeutic", but it does not treat
In Soviet times, "patients" forced of LTP held a course of acupuncture: they pricked special drugs that cause rejection by the body of alcohol, and allowed to drink. After drinking a dose of painful vomiting began. The procedure was repeated several times, which should cause an aversion to alcohol and the desire to stop drinking.
This method of treatment is already in the Soviet Union was found to be ineffective, so sunk into oblivion together with the collapse of the Soviet Union.
Interviewing people who visited the LTP, methods of treatment, we did not expect to hear from them for something similar to the horrors of the Soviet Union. But the fact that no compulsory treatment, except for occupational therapy, in fact, not at all, came as a surprise, because the word "healing" – the names of the institutions, which guide patients with alcoholism.
Vladimir: "There is no treatment. Only the first time the tablets were given – so I did not drink them. No treatment is not there, and cannot even be: young people there for 19 years – to bring children – they squeal on the pope, and let another run, walk."
Nikolai: "There's basically no cure. What these pills give – it's just so. Well, what is the treatment? In fact, and it is not. Someone might take to mind something – that they eat pills..."
Employees LTP told in the pages of state-run media that all treatment "patients" is carried out in four courses. The first course is prescribed newcomers, which are placed in quarantine. Especially hard for people are the first few days in the LTP – their batters, shakes, they refuse to eat. Some alcohol withdrawal syndrome occurs, or delirium tremens. Quarantine lasts two weeks, and during that time the doctors are doing a survey of patients. According to the survey each individually prescribed treatment, and not just treat alcohol dependence, but also heart disease, liver, kidneys, etc. It is used not only medical, but also psycho-correction treatment.
In one of the publications in the independent media rights activists cite the words of former patients who told them what actually reduce medical examination and quarantine treatment "no treatment for alcoholism is not carried out, only in the first three days give one pellet of ascorbic acid two tablets of valerian. If you receive a check for lice and scabies, no other medical examinations are not carried out."
However, to undergo treatment for alcohol addiction in LTP is still possible. Voluntarily. Some agree to this treatment, hoping for an early release of the dispensary. As one of those who had agreed voluntarily to be treated, "treatment" was the fact that he was for two courses for two weeks each were given metronidazole.
Comment expert psychiatrist
In the expert opinion, we turned to Dr. Igor Postnov, addiction psychiatrists with years of experience. However, Igor A. made a reservation that expresses his own opinion and not the opinion of experts, which would be officially designated as such by the medical establishment. Igor Postnov part of the medical committee, which shall enter into before directing people in LTP, so the problem knows firsthand.
Dr. Postnov said that, indeed, LTP – not to treat it: "If we look Regulations on LTP, no one there speaks of the treatment. There is the question of social rehabilitation and isolation that echoes the gulag – there was also the question of rehabilitation and remolding of man."
Igor Postnov told how the medical commission at registration in the LTP. Total such a commission, composed of five people, going twice. During the first commission to the future "patient" LTP diagnosed of chronic alcoholism, and concludes that it has no diseases from the list approved by the Ministry of Health to prevent being in an LTS. The second candidate for the commission "treatment" in activity therapy centers is held just before his case would be referred to the court. The Commission, in fact, is technical in nature, as is already diagnosed. In their work, doctors are guided by regulations of the Ministry of Health.
Igor Postnov believes that the idea itself LTP – good. "But in a totalitarian society and the lack of public scrutiny of the process every good idea turns into its opposite. In a closed idea became perverted. Therefore, today, as a doctor, I am a categorical opponent of medical-labor dispensaries and execute them as people just because it's my job."
"Of course there are cases where they bring really degradantov, who terrorized society, the family. But for this there are articles of the Criminal Code – please try the normal court of Plant. And so it turns out that people who are simply sick, placed in closed institutions for the year. And often, these institutions is worse than the closed institutions, which are sent for crimes – many of my clients said, you go to the LTP, we better go to the zone."
"Very often it brings the police to issue completely random people who do not need to get there. It is difficult to work with any real alcoholic who terrorized the family and can smack the same police officer on the head; easier to get up in front of the restaurant, and as soon as one comes out – take it under white handles. Often local policeman does not work with the population, and with the computer. He knocked on the computer that man administrative punishments three: the first in January and the second in February, and after six months he did not drink. But the policeman suddenly remembers him – and grab people from work to study, come in the morning, when people are still asleep, pull them out of the family sober – and driven to the first or second commission. As a result, the fate of people break down," – Igor Postnov explained his position.
Labor is not for everyone
If LTP can hardly be called a "healing" institutions in the strict sense of the word, it may be difficult here all right? Our conversations with former patients have convinced us that the word "labor" in the title dispensaries for chronic alcoholics and unnecessary. As it turned out, the work is first and foremost for the parties liable to be paid to the state money for the children and alimony. More specifically, the work seems to be there for the rest – on the territory of the LTP, but not the one for which you can get more or less well, there the standards, salary.
Vladimir: "I was not allowed. I went to the opera, and asked: Let me out to work to earn at least a little. – I say: Here, we've got ran one such person, fear, and you run away. Sent "on the wire" – aluminum, copper clean. A paid, I got a month for a pack of cigarettes. Only the last and the penultimate months received by 41,000."
"On the wire" for some time and had to stay Nikolai Ivanovich, "I was three months sent a wire brush. Salaries are there only for the matches go. I do not smoke. I do not need a cigarette. And the people – only enough match. Oh well, sent by the collective, by organization. From organizations – many did not pay."
About the salaries of those who were lucky enough to get to work in collective farms or organization, told Vladimir: "In the hands of money does not give, and list on the market. 50 thousand given in day for lunch – it's pretty good. But in other organizations – do not give just carry food with them. Then in the shop is closed – is 300 thousand and more."
Those funds that are credited to the personal accounts, due to which you can then buy food in a store – is part of the payroll. This part should not be less than 25 per cent of the amount earned. The rest goes to cover living expenses. Those who should cover the costs of the state for the children, the money is also deducted from earnings. Since the high-paying job gets far from all, many of those who have a duty to the state, the amount of debt while in LTP increases.
The money remaining on the account, issued to citizens when they are released. Someone, after a year spent in the LTP receives several hundred thousand or even more than a million, and someone barely enough to buy a ticket home. There were even cases where the released call relatives and asked to send money for travel.
Life after LTP
After his release from LTP its former "patients" are registered with drug treatment. Also for them should observe local policeman. As for employment, solving problems with housing, if anyone has any, etc. – All these people have to deal with on their own.
After several "otsidka" in LTP life of Nikolai turned into hell. Now he has a job at the farm – this is no problem. But, he said, the police pursue him, not giving literally take a step without their control.
Vladimir after release is a good relationship with the local precinct. But he faced other difficulties: "I came – no registration on the new passport. And the old passport is not found. There are registration and no home, no shelter. Work – even more so. Where I take now? Anywhere. The young have no place to work, not that old people..."
It is understood that since "treatment" in the LTP fall not on their own, and most of the "treatment" does not want to, and formal approach to "treatment" on the part of employees dispensaries, the effectiveness of this treatment for alcohol dependence cannot be high. Therefore, many of those who drank up to LTP, and then starts drinking.
What are the chances after release from LTP to go there again? And what are the chances of returning to a normal life?
The author of this material could not be found in the public domain full of official statistics in the country on the number of "cure" because of LTP. Different sources give different numbers that differ significantly. Some media claim that the number of people who, having LTP, stopped drinking, reaching as much as 20-25 percent. These figures seem exaggerated.
Senior inspector training LTP number 1 (Svetlogorsk), the captain of the internal service Sergei Gaiko in his article published in 2013 on the site of the Ministry of Interior, provides these data on the "graduates" of the institution where he is: a stable remission was observed at 16-18 percent of the liberated, unstable – at 32-36%, and the rest – a relapse.
It is unlikely that the situation with those who took other LTP countries is very different, so we can assume that the numbers are about the have and the entire system as a whole LTP.
As for the likelihood of re-appear in LTP in 2009, the Interior Ministry reported that 23% of the total number of persons detained at that time in the LTP, were there again; 11.6% – a third or more.
The numbers, as they say, speak for themselves...
After the amendment to the law the situation has become better?
In 2014, changes were made to the Law of "On order and conditions of the citizens in the areas of medical-labor dispensaries and conditions of finding them." Basically, these changes have been corrected and clarified some of the language. They also set the precise terms in which the citizens are delivered to the LTP after the relevant decisions of the courts to take effect.
Amendments made less bureaucratic procedure for the release of citizens from LTP in some cases: when the men 60 years, women – 55 years of age, identifying pregnancy in women of disability group I or II, the identification of the disease, preventing the finding in the LTP. Now the decision to release of LTP in these cases takes the head of the institution, rather than refer the case to court, as it was before.
The main change is that commended the public for the fact that there is now an opportunity to get out ahead of LTP. Earlier citizen was "treated" "from start to finish." It has provided opportunity to receive as punishment and further prolongation "otlechit" up to 6 months longer appointed by the court. Now the term can be not only increased but also reduced – all in the same six months.
It would seem that a good innovation. Only here the procedure to get out early, so complex, it is necessary to collect a number of securities that, in practice, only a few can hope to get out of the LTP previously assigned to them by the court one year.
Comment of expert human rights activist
Vitsebsk human rights activist Leanid Svetik LTP has been a problem for years. He recently appealed to the lower chamber of the Belarusian parliament with a proposal to hold parliamentary hearings on the topic "The results of the enforcement of the Law" On procedure and conditions of citizens in the areas of medical-labor dispensaries conditions and finding in them.'" MPs considered the proposed holding parliamentary hearings defenders inappropriate.
Leonid Svetik: "Act LTP is primarily aimed at trying to force a person to recover from addictions. But as the world practice shows, to make a person recover from alcoholism and drug addiction is almost impossible. There must be a strong personal desire."
As the human rights activist, people fall in LTP is not for any violation of the law, but for his illness. In certain cases, when there is danger to life and health of citizens, patients can be isolated from the community, and the treatment can be forced. But alcoholism is not included in the Ministry of Health approved the list of diseases for which such treatment is permitted.
There Leonid Svetsik claims and working conditions "patients" of LTP: "Work there has signs of coercion. People are forced to work, and it is prohibited by international agreements that are signed by the Republic of Belarus."
"The government saw this some own economic benefit. After all, to a greater extent in the LTP sent young men who are able to work physically. These people seemed to be specially selected for them to work effectively, and that work was the most productive," – says human rights activist.
"Due to the fact that access to the LTP is closed, we do not know whether there is abuse by the administration of medical labor dispensaries in the use of people outside the objects on which they must work. Perhaps people are using for their own purposes – on the construction of villas, houses. "
"Human rights defenders are also concerned about what happens to a man after he comes out of the LTP. There you have it doctor? He arranged a job? Not if he gets in the environment in which the previously ever drank?" – Asks questions Leonid Svetik.
Hiding from the public
The problem, which Leonid Svetik emphasized – is a closed system: "The public cannot get beyond the walls of LTP, cannot see what's inside your life, how we treat people where they work, how many receive. It's still a mystery to the general public. And here we can make a complaint to the State, as the person responsible for the organization of the prevention of the media and human rights defenders in the walls of medical-labor dispensaries."
Leonid Svetik is not only a human rights activist and independent journalist, member of the "Belarusian Association of Journalists." As a journalist, he asked the chief of LTP, which are located on the territory of Vitebsk region, so that they allowed him to visit their facilities. All the chiefs answered the same: life LTP enough highlights departmental press the Ministry of Interior, so visiting journalists institutions consider it inappropriate.
The only human rights organization, whose staff allowed to visit government activity therapy centers is a recently liquidated institution "Innovation Platform". However, what they have seen, the public never knew. "All the reports – is an internal affair of our organization. If we deem it necessary, it will be published on our website", – said the head of the organization Elena Krasouskaya-Kaspiarovich.
As for journalists, none of those who cooperate with the publications that allow themselves to criticize the authorities, are not allowed in the LTP. But the recent increase in the number of publications on the activity therapy centers in the pages of state-run media. These publications tells readers how much grief and misery caused close alcoholics, and how well that there are great facilities for them as LTP, where they not only treat, but also a well-fed, and provide work and help a good rest in your spare time and, finally, return to a normal life.
However, some people still managed to get inside the Belarusian medical-labor dispensaries, to tell the truth about them. Several years ago, a Dutch photographer Irina Popova was able to visit LTP № 1. Her photographs, which spread all over the world, speak louder than words...
