‘We set to have injuries verified’ – Belsat TV contributor beaten by Belarus police
Kastus Zhukouski, a freelance journalist, who was brutally detained by the Homiel police on Tuesday, has told Belsat.eu about his state of health and plans.
“Everything is ok, my colleague and I are going to have battery-induced injuries verified. A collar bome is aching and my hands are falling asleep. We have appealed to the Investigation Committee for checking the incident. I took my phone back. The policemen uncuffed us and went to their rooms. One of them told to draw up a protocol, but nothing was recorded, no papers were given to us. They kept us for about. My camera works, they gave back all the videos we filmed, but also made copies for themselves,” he said.
On June 21 Kastus Zhukouski, together with the operator Alyaksei Atroshchankau were filmed a report about the state of the economy in Belarusian regions, in particular they were filming the local brick factory building. Their work was suddenly interrupted by the traffic police, local police later arrived and rudely detained journalists.
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Later Zhukouski said that he had been knocked to the floor, his head pressed to the floor with a knee, strangled and had handcuffs put on. He had had high blood pressure and had to get medical attention.
Read also: Gloomy leadership. Belsat TV journalists fined most often
In 2016, the Homiel journalist has been tried and heavily fined 7 times. In its report on human rights violations in Belarus, the International Organization Amnesty International used the prosecution of Zhukouski as an example.
