A handwritten note from imprisoned developers Ivan Buchta and Martin Pezlar has made its way out of the gulag.
Okay, maybe “gulag” is a bit strong, but nearly three months in a Greek prison on charges of espionage is nobody’s vacation. Even so, Buchta and Pezlar sound remarkably upbeat in a letter written on November 22 and posted today on their support website, helpivanmartin.org.
“After two tiring months, it is important for us to hear ( well, read) words of encouragement and to learn that we are not forgotten,” the duo wrote. “We are treated well, but we feel we should rather be with our families than here. Your effort makes it easier to handle: We enjoy the postcards, community news, pictures and puzzles which are being regularly send by [helpivanmartin.org’s] magnificent staff.”
“We do our best to stay optimistic and use this time well: We read, we walk, we chat and discuss and Martin even does some PT. We’ve already walked hundred of kilometers, read thousands of pages, but our thoughts are always with our families, friends and people who help us in any way,” the letter continues. “We should also thank to everyone who joined the petition! 14,000 signatures is truly amazing number, which makes us hope for the best regardless of the hardships.”
The site also posted a Czech news station’s coverage of a protest in Prague in support of the pair, which attracted roughly 150 demonstrators. (Translation via subtitles.) Protest organizers presented a petition calling for their release to the Czech Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Greek Embassy, but despite that and high-level diplomatic action including a letter from the President of the Czech Republic to his counterpart in Greece, the report says their release “is not in sight.”
The letter can be read in full below.
Source: HelpIvanMartin.org
Published: Nov 28, 2012 11:00 pm