Belsat’s program ‘It’s My Right’ has shown a video which 21-year-old Ihar Ptichkin made with his mobile phone at a police station: policemen were threatening him with tortures for his attempt to come to the defence of another detainee. What did happen in Minsk predetention centre No 1 where Ihar died? His relatives are still looking for answers.
“Don’t let me hear another peep out of you otherwise you are turned turtle [censored] and hung by your balls [censored]. Just for fun [censored], believe me!” the policemen responded to Ihar Ptichkin’s harmless remark. “While you are here you have no rights at all,” they added.
Two years ago Mr Ptsichkin was put under five-year driving ban. Nevertheless, he could not resist taking to the wheel; as a result, he was sentenced to three months of arrest. Having admitted his guilt in court, Ihar Ptsichkin came to Zavadzki district Directorate of Interior. The he was transferred to predetention centre No 1: he was to serve his term there. Four days later prison officials phoned his mother and told her that Ihar was dead.
“It is the police [officers] who killed him,” Mr Ptichkin’s mother says showing photos of the body – injuries are seen with half an eye.
Human rights defender Alena Krasouskaya, a medical worker by training, examined the body of Ihar Ptsichkin and certigied numerous injuries. Ms Krasouskaya, who used to work at a prison hospital, hazarded a guess that such marks on his hands might well have appeared because of handcuffing: torturers could hang the detainee by hands.
It is notable that a state medical investigator failed to notice anything out of line.
ML, Belsat
