Violence, Imprisonment, Escape: An MBA’s Summer Of Hell

FLOWERS IN THE STREETS

A couple of days later, Belarussian women had taken to the streets with flowers, pleading with the police stop the violence. Belgiak was released from prison soon after. He was forced to sign a document that said he wouldn’t participate in any political activity for a year. If he broke that promise, he’d serve a criminal sentence.

Once out, he immediately went back to Russia, where he had been living and working. But the situation in Russia had escalated, too. Vladimir Putin, a close ally of Lukashenko’s, had ordered the arrest of citizens who’d escaped Belarus, threatening to send them back to their country for criminal prosecution. 

Begliak’s only choice was to flee. He went to nearby Latvia, where he is currently staying in a refugee center.

SEEKING ASYLUM

Now in asylum, Begliak hopes to initiate international criminal proceedings for the crimes committed by the Lukashenko and special police forces.

“Like everybody in Belarus, I’m trying to help Svetlana Tikhanovskaya take charge of the country, as she is who we elected,” he says. “She’s in exile in Lithuania now and her team is collecting evidence of all of these crimes against the protesters, hoping to initiate international criminal court procedures against Lukashenko and the police in Belarus.”

Begliak has submitted his testimony and has helped others submit theirs, too.

“I’m also trying to help Belarus refugees because they are very scared. Belarusians have been isolated from the outside world for a long time, and they have this strange idea that a refugee camp in Europe is some kind of a detention centre.”

Latvia is providing refugees medical attention and psychotherapy to help deal with the trauma they’ve experienced, he says.

“I was beaten only once and for a short period of time, but many others had their legs, hands, and spines broken and very serious damage to their internal organs because of those beatings,” Begliak says. “Thankfully, many people are going through rehabilitation here in Latvia. We are very grateful to this country and other neighboring countries for providing help.”

SOCIAL IMPACT OVER FINANCES

After graduating from the best economic school in Belarus, Begliak, along with many of his classmates, was earning less than half the average person.

“Belarus is a very isolated country with no international exposure,” he says. “Lukashenko tries to push those who are educated outside of the country by paying us poor salaries.”

Drawn to study at Notre Dame to experience another country and perspective, Begliak was surprised at how the people in the West don’t understand or appreciate the amount of social capital they have.

“Most business schools teach us that only financial results for corporations matter. It’s important to focus on social impact rather than solely economic gain; without the environment which creates the condition for any business, the business itself is not possible.”

When asked what he thinks is important for MBA students to know, Begliak replied: “They should value their country, their society, and the people who are around them. At the end of the day, money is just paper when there is no social system where it matters. In Belarus, you can be the richest man in the country and the next day all your wealth will be taken from you.”

AN OBLIGATION TO SPEAK OUT

Although he suspects that Belarusian KGB agents are coming to spy on his Latvian refugee camp, Begliak says he is not afraid.

“I have the obligation to share my story because people who are in Belarus are doing so much to fight for our rights and they have no other means to tell people around the world about what’s happening in Belarus,” he says.

Those who are interested in helping support political refugees like Begliak can donate to #BY_Help or BYSOL.

“Unfortunately, I think this situation soon is going to turn into an even larger humanitarian crisis because there are no forces inside the country which can stop the escalation of the repressions,” Begliak says. “Regular citizens have no weapons nor training to protect themselves. The people who were supposed to protect us, such as the police and army, have turned against us and are currently waging a war against their own people.”

Read Rodion Begliak’s story in his words here. 

DON’T MISS: DEANS AT YALE & OTHER B-SCHOOLS CONDEMN GEORGE FLOYD’S DEATH or FROM IRANIAN PRISONER TO MBA: AN OUTCAST FINDS HIS MISSION