Natalie Hersche went through hell for her conviction. At “Schawinski” she talks regarding the regime of Alexander Lukashenko, her time in solitary confinement and the traces she has suffered.
The Belarus-Swiss Natalie Hersche was in prison in her country of origin, 46 days of it in solitary confinement. In “Schawinski” she explains how she protected her psyche in these dark hours.
Hersche says she never completely lost her hope. But: “There were sad moments. Then I imagined Swiss Rega helicopters coming for me.” This thought immediately put a smile on her face.
Hersche was released on February 18, 2022. In the morning, she did not know that her detention would end. Within a few hours she was on the plane back to Switzerland. Only when she was able to take off her prison clothes might she relax: “It was a very nice feeling.”
When released “mentally very calm”
In Switzerland, she was initially “mentally very calm” and might even imagine returning to Belarus later. “Now I understand that I would end up in prison once more.”
Even if she hadn’t realized it at the time, her long prison sentence left its mark. Now Hersche wants to receive psychological help in order to be behind bars over time. “It’s the first time in my life. I’m trying now.”
In Switzerland, Hersche also wants to continue to campaign once morest injustice. She also takes part in demonstrations once morest the Russian invasion of Ukraine. She has not lost her belief in resistance through peaceful protests: “I think that you can change something with it.”
On Sunday, March 6th, 6:15 p.m. (repeat at 10 p.m.), the entire show “Schawinski” will be broadcast on blue zoom. In it, Natalie Hersche also talks regarding her hunger strikes, her return to Switzerland and her exchange with the Swiss embassy in prison.
The whole “Schawinski” talk with Natalie Hersche in full length:
Schawinski
So 06.03. 18:15 – 18:50 ∙ blue Zoom D ∙ CH 2022 ∙ 35 Min
