The book is a unique and gripping account of the murky undertones of the contemporary Eastern European history and politics. It tells the chilling story behind the kidnapping and disappearance of famous Belarusian oppositionist politicians (the author Oleg Alkaev [Aleh Alkajeŭ] was one of the key witnesses in the trial), which, in the light of the recent events in the neighbouring states of Ukraine and Russia, just needs to be heard. The book is also the first modern document (in the form of a first-hand account) about the procedure of state execution, containing shocking details relating to the implementation of death sentences. Its author, former head of Belarus's death row and the chief of investigative detention (SIZO No 1), was in charge of the execution unit for five years. A brutally honest story about prison life, rules and orders, the book reveals many secrets of this closed world.