Belarusian police is in trouble again over the abuse of power. On the Minsk Sea beach riot policemen staged a fight with people who were sunbathing. The reason was lack of swimsuit. A woman did not like it that the other one did not have enough clothes on, so she called the police.
“Buy yourself a beach and show there your f*cking stuff”
People came to the detained woman’s defense, riot police started fighting with those who stood up for her. The police restrained the girl as well as her husband. Here he is, with a stick and a baby. People were dragged around the beach in handcuffs. The Office of Internal Affairs believe that no laws were broken no one was injured.
ALYAKSANDR HRABKO, PRESS-SERVICE OF MINSK EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE IAD:
“The citizens will be fined for intervention in administrative proceedings and non-compliance with the police. If they do not agree, they have the right to go to court.”
Valery tried to prevent the illegal detention of his wife. Now he is in the hospital, said that after the arrest the condition of his broken leg worsened. Human rights activist Aleh Volchak considers such actions of riot police a complete lack of professionalism.
ALEH VOLCHAK, FORMER INVESTIGATOR, HUMAN RIGHTS ACTIVIST:
“According to the Belarusian legislation, riot police are used for gross violations, during the unrest, against professional criminals. It is a special unit.”
The story has already been widely spread among the people. The police did not find support of the population.
MINSK RESIDENTS:
“They had the right to warn her that it was illegal, but to beat her, of course not.”
“I think it’s overkill. The authorities should not have acted this way.”
“They have power, maybe it obscures their eyes. They can behave as they want, because they understand they have impunity and therefore behave this way. “
“Maybe riot police has insane people working for it.”
All kinds of peole get there. After all, the riot police today needs to fulfill any order of the administration. They are capable of harshly detaining any disobedient person while both wearing uniform or in plain clothes. This is how, for example, they nearly strangled a pensioner, the disabled Uladzimir Marozau during the silent protests of 2011.
But it is not only about political protests. Over the last year, the police several times used gas and batons against the fans at football matches, where there was no fight. A week ago, riot police violently dispersed an illegal but peaceful punk concert in the forest near Minsk.
PARTICIPANT OF THE ILLEGAL CONCERT:
“I received a sharp blow on my legs and fell down. After I turned around, I saw the riot police running around yelling “face on the ground.”
Then, too, they beat people who offered no resistance and did not violate the law.
ALEH VOLCHAK, FORMER INVESTIGATOR, HUMAN RIGHTS ACTIVIST:
“Today, any citizen can be in such a situation. And today, I am calling for solidarity over this situation on the beach.”
According to the human rights activist, solidarity in this situation is primarily testimony of a witness in court and video recording of the illegal actions of the police.
Yaraslau Stseshyk, belsat.en/en/
