Andrei Azharovskii: I recommend Astravets confinement cell to everyone!
A Russian physicist Andrei Azharovskii has been released after 7 days of detention. He was arrested during civil hearings about the construction of an NPP in Astravets. He describes the details of the detention, cellmates and anti-nuclear struggle in his first interview given after his release
— How did you like the reason for the 7-day arrest?
Andrei Azharovskii: “Saying that that an expert who arrived from another country to the hearing and devoted his time to prepare materials would behave like a hooligan… As the court announced, I was disrespectful talking to a member of the steering committee… Everything that happened there was a provocation”.
— But why did the authorities need to get involved in an international scandal?
Andrei Azharovskii: “I think their goal was preventing me from announcing facts that were embarrassing for them at the hearing. Maybe you know that my colleagues and I have managed to prove that possible radioactive emissions after a catastrophe have been understated by 1000 times in one place and by 300 – in another. Thus, the influence and the possible area of pollution have also been understated. It is a lie!”
— How did you like the imprisonment in Astravets?
Andrei Azharovskii: “Come to Astravets, I recommend it! The confinement cell is new and I think the Belarusian authorities did a good thing when they built a new prison before promoting the project of the construction of the NPP. The confinement cell is clean which is important. However, it is rather cold there; sometimes I could see my exhalation. But the heating is not turned on anywhere now so it is difficult to complain.
My friends managed to bring a sleeping-bag for me, otherwise I would not be able to talk to you know – I would keep coughing and wheezing”.
— Was it a one-man cell?
Andrei Azharovskii: “It was a two-man cell. It looked like a train compartment but it was twice as large. The beds were one over the other. The WC and cold water were available right in the cell. A local villager was also imprisoned in it. He name was Petysa. He had been imprisoned for 10 days for drunken driving”.
— What does Pyotr think about the construction of an NPP in Astarvets?
Andrei Azharovskii: “What can he think? People need information! I told him about the main problems. He was surprised: “Why should they build a chimney if they are not going to burn anything?” I had to explain that it will be emitting radioactive nuclides and that it was not health-giving.
He felt sorry for it: he said there were mushrooms and fish… He lives there and has a cow. Milk is one of the products that will be most affected by the activities of the nuclear power plant”.
— Thus, milk is mentioned in every report about the NPP’s influence on the environment…
Andrei Azharovskii: “Milk, honey… I gave advised him what to do in case the NPP was built (which I doubt as I think there are too many obstacles for the realization of the project, namely – economic problems). I told him that chanterelles absorbed less radiation while mossiness mushrooms – more. I said he would have to forget about honey as it accumulated a lot of radioactive nuclides even in clean places.
We talked about life with him. His life is hard, he works. He does not really care about the NPP… However, it has been announced today that the price for energy will be increased and one of the reasons for it will be the necessity to invest in the construction of the NPP. This is what people are interested in”.
— Are you going to miss a conference in Stockholm dedicated to the anti-nuclear movement due to the detention in Atsravets?
Andrei Azharovskii: “A plane was supposed to set off from Sheremetiyevo today at 8 a.m. It left without me. The nuclear waste conference is one of the crucial problems. But I will try to get there anyway: we have managed to exchange my ticket and I will set off from Minsk tomorrow. I will make my report tomorrow afternoon so I will try to arrive in time.
If the nuclear industry is an international octopus, it should get international resistance. It is an NGO conference of opponents of nuclear industry”.
— We know you are a teacher of physics in a school in Moscow District. How do you combine it with your job of a nuclear engineer?
Andrei Azharovskii: “The group “Eco defense” is the place where I work. I conduct projects there. But there are additional sources of income. I went to work at school because my children study there. I was asked to help four years ago because there were no teachers of physics. Graduates risked to be left without secondary education certificates.
So I got involved in it. Anyway, I accompany my daughter to school every morning. I stay for a few classes, I am not strained. However, this is not my main job”.
— Is there a lot of work in “Eco Defense”?
Andrei Azharovskii: “The work in “Eco Defense” is irregular. Sometimes there are more projects and more financial opportunities – then I pay more attention to the anti-nuclear movement. Sometimes you have to use your own money, like now. Anyway, travelling from Moscow to Minsk is not expensive.
By the way, I am very happy that you read “Critics…” We have put a lot of effort in it. And it was not only me. There was a great group of authors!”
— We have also read Russian ecologists’ remarks concerning the Evaluation of the influence of the NPP on the environment in Vasaginas …
Andrei Azharovskii: “Speaking about Lithuania: civil organizations have disputed the results of civil hearings in court there. Unfortunately, they lost in the superior court (they went to Vilnius Court). However, it means that people struggle with the nuclear industry everywhere.
It doesn’t matter that the hearing in Atsravets is over and the authorities claim that everything has been approved. I am sure we can stop the pest. Belarus has already suffered from it – it does not need it once more”.
Photo by: website “Anti-nuclear campaign in Belarus”
See also:
Are results of possible Astravets NPP catastrophe understated?
Lithuania prepares about 40 remarks about Belarusian report on NPP
The way hearing about NPP’s influence was conducted
Most problematic paragraphs from the official report On Belarusians NPP’s influence
Andrei Azharovskii: “Saying that that an expert who arrived from another country to the hearing and devoted his time to prepare materials would behave like a hooligan… As the court announced, I was disrespectful talking to a member of the steering committee… Everything that happened there was a provocation”.
— But why did the authorities need to get involved in an international scandal?
Andrei Azharovskii: “I think their goal was preventing me from announcing facts that were embarrassing for them at the hearing. Maybe you know that my colleagues and I have managed to prove that possible radioactive emissions after a catastrophe have been understated by 1000 times in one place and by 300 – in another. Thus, the influence and the possible area of pollution have also been understated. It is a lie!”
— How did you like the imprisonment in Astravets?
Andrei Azharovskii: “Come to Astravets, I recommend it! The confinement cell is new and I think the Belarusian authorities did a good thing when they built a new prison before promoting the project of the construction of the NPP. The confinement cell is clean which is important. However, it is rather cold there; sometimes I could see my exhalation. But the heating is not turned on anywhere now so it is difficult to complain.
My friends managed to bring a sleeping-bag for me, otherwise I would not be able to talk to you know – I would keep coughing and wheezing”.
— Was it a one-man cell?
Andrei Azharovskii: “It was a two-man cell. It looked like a train compartment but it was twice as large. The beds were one over the other. The WC and cold water were available right in the cell. A local villager was also imprisoned in it. He name was Petysa. He had been imprisoned for 10 days for drunken driving”.
— What does Pyotr think about the construction of an NPP in Astarvets?
Andrei Azharovskii: “What can he think? People need information! I told him about the main problems. He was surprised: “Why should they build a chimney if they are not going to burn anything?” I had to explain that it will be emitting radioactive nuclides and that it was not health-giving.
He felt sorry for it: he said there were mushrooms and fish… He lives there and has a cow. Milk is one of the products that will be most affected by the activities of the nuclear power plant”.
— Thus, milk is mentioned in every report about the NPP’s influence on the environment…
Andrei Azharovskii: “Milk, honey… I gave advised him what to do in case the NPP was built (which I doubt as I think there are too many obstacles for the realization of the project, namely – economic problems). I told him that chanterelles absorbed less radiation while mossiness mushrooms – more. I said he would have to forget about honey as it accumulated a lot of radioactive nuclides even in clean places.
We talked about life with him. His life is hard, he works. He does not really care about the NPP… However, it has been announced today that the price for energy will be increased and one of the reasons for it will be the necessity to invest in the construction of the NPP. This is what people are interested in”.
— Are you going to miss a conference in Stockholm dedicated to the anti-nuclear movement due to the detention in Atsravets?
Andrei Azharovskii: “A plane was supposed to set off from Sheremetiyevo today at 8 a.m. It left without me. The nuclear waste conference is one of the crucial problems. But I will try to get there anyway: we have managed to exchange my ticket and I will set off from Minsk tomorrow. I will make my report tomorrow afternoon so I will try to arrive in time.
If the nuclear industry is an international octopus, it should get international resistance. It is an NGO conference of opponents of nuclear industry”.
— We know you are a teacher of physics in a school in Moscow District. How do you combine it with your job of a nuclear engineer?
Andrei Azharovskii: “The group “Eco defense” is the place where I work. I conduct projects there. But there are additional sources of income. I went to work at school because my children study there. I was asked to help four years ago because there were no teachers of physics. Graduates risked to be left without secondary education certificates.
So I got involved in it. Anyway, I accompany my daughter to school every morning. I stay for a few classes, I am not strained. However, this is not my main job”.
— Is there a lot of work in “Eco Defense”?
Andrei Azharovskii: “The work in “Eco Defense” is irregular. Sometimes there are more projects and more financial opportunities – then I pay more attention to the anti-nuclear movement. Sometimes you have to use your own money, like now. Anyway, travelling from Moscow to Minsk is not expensive.
By the way, I am very happy that you read “Critics…” We have put a lot of effort in it. And it was not only me. There was a great group of authors!”
— We have also read Russian ecologists’ remarks concerning the Evaluation of the influence of the NPP on the environment in Vasaginas …
Andrei Azharovskii: “Speaking about Lithuania: civil organizations have disputed the results of civil hearings in court there. Unfortunately, they lost in the superior court (they went to Vilnius Court). However, it means that people struggle with the nuclear industry everywhere.
It doesn’t matter that the hearing in Atsravets is over and the authorities claim that everything has been approved. I am sure we can stop the pest. Belarus has already suffered from it – it does not need it once more”.
Photo by: website “Anti-nuclear campaign in Belarus”
See also:
Are results of possible Astravets NPP catastrophe understated?
Lithuania prepares about 40 remarks about Belarusian report on NPP
The way hearing about NPP’s influence was conducted
Most problematic paragraphs from the official report On Belarusians NPP’s influence
