Political prisoner Jane Cento was attacked by prison guards today. Cento, grandson of the first Macedonian President and World War Two commander Metodija Andonov – Cento, is charged with “terrorism” by the SDSM Government and refused the offer of amnesty.

A dozen of officers attacked me today during the search of my cell. They asked who is giving us, the prisoners, the cell phones we use. I answered that it is they themselves who take 200 or 300 EUR to give us a phone, and this includes the warden and commanders Zarko and Saso, Cento said.

This reply prompted the officers to attack him. Cento shared a photograph depicting the bruising he sustained as result of the attack. His lawyer Valentina Todorovska says that she has been unable to contact him yet.

I’m not afraid. You will fall one day. We are Macedonians and this will remain Macedonia. Put me in solitary, do what you will, I will not surrender, Cento told journalists who contacted him.

His grandfather was also persecuted by the Communist regime because he supported the idea of an independent Macedonia and did not accept the imposition of the Communist system. Jane Cento (pronounced Yane) was offered amnesty in the 2017 Parliament incident case ove rwhich he is charged, but he was one of the five defendants who refused the offer and insisted that the case is brought to court.