The Pre-Trial Detention Centre of the KGB of Belarus (Belarusian: Следчы ізалятар КДБ Беларусі, romanizedSledčy izaliatar KDB Bielarusi; Russian: Следственный изолятор КГБ Республики Беларусь, romanizedSledstvenny izolyator KGB Respubliki Belarus, СИЗО КГБ, SIZO KGB, also informally called Amerikanka (Belarusian: Амерыканка, romanizedAmierykanka, lit.'American'; Russian: Американка) is a pre-trial prison in the centre of Minsk, operated by the KGB of Belarus.

Pre-Trial Detention Centre of the KGB of Belarus
Map
Coordinates53°53′55.619″N 27°33′12.272″E / 53.89878306°N 27.55340889°E / 53.89878306; 27.55340889
Security classPre-Trial Detention Centre (SIZO)
Opened1920s
Former nameInternal prison of the NKVD
Managed byKGB (Belarus)
CityMinsk
CountryBelarus

The prison is used for detaining persons against whom investigation is being carried out by the KGB of Belarus, in particular, in cases where state interests are involved.

History

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The prison firstly operated as the internal prison of the Soviet secret police, the Cheka. It was constructed in the 1920s as part of a complex of buildings used by the Cheka. The informal name Amerikanka is believed to be referring to the prison's form as a Panopticon, based on the design of prisons in the United States.[1][2]

The building was later used by the Cheka's successor organizations, the NKVD and the KGB.

In 1946, after end of World War II and the restoration of Soviet control over Belarus, the building was reconstructed.[3]

Sanctions against Amerikanka prison staff

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Following the crackdown of the protests of the democratic opposition after the allegedly falsified presidential election in 2010, several KGB officers were put on the sanctions list of the European Union.[4][5] The sanctions were lifted in 2016 following an improvement of the Belarus–European Union relations.

Notable prisoners

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Political opponents of president Alexander Lukashenko

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2010 presidential candidates

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Opposition leaders and activists

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Journalists

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2020 presidential candidate nominees and campaigners

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Artists

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  • Slavamir Adamovich – convicted of inciting illegal change of power, illegally crossing the state border, and illegally carrying a melee weapon.[8]

Foreigners

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See also

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References

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  1. ^ Володин, Михаил (17 June 2013). "Призрак в центре города, или Американская историйка" (in Russian). Tvoya Stolitsa. Retrieved 17 November 2017.
  2. ^ Прудникова, Ольга (28 January 2011). "Досье на "американку". Как живется узникам КГБ". naviny.by. Retrieved 17 November 2017.
  3. ^ Khalip, Iryna (10 August 2011). "Ах, шарабан мой, "американка"!". Novaya Gazeta. Charter 97. Retrieved 17 November 2017.
  4. ^ Поўны спіс 208 беларускіх чыноўнікаў, якім забаронены ўезд у ЕС - Nasha Niva, 11.10.2011
  5. ^ Council Decision 2012/642/CFSP of 15 October 2012 concerning restrictive measures against Belarus
  6. ^ Сабіла Эрнст - slounik.org
  7. ^ "Dzianis Urad — Political prisoners in Belarus". prisoners.spring96.org. Retrieved 2021-05-18.
  8. ^ Малевіч, Марына (2010-11-23). "Славамір Адамовіч. Непатрэбны паэт". Narodnaja Wola (in Belarusian). 184–185 (3314–3315). Minsk. ISSN 2071-9647. Archived from the original on 2018-05-05.