BELAAZIORSK POLICE LAUNCHED PROCEEDINGS ON ASSAULT AND BATTERY CASE

06.01.2004.

January 5 Belaaziorsk police launched proceedings on assault and battery case.
On January 2 two local members of Narodnaya Hramada party Yawhen and Natalla Akaronak were beaten up by strangers. The incident resulted in Yawhen Akaronak, leader of the local social democrats, getting into hospital with broken ribs and nose. His wife Natalla has trivial bodily injuries. Natalla is a member of Belaaziorsk city council. She belongs to democratic group the Initiative.
Natalla Akaronka says actions of police officers right after the incident was reported made her doubt the objectivity of the investigation. “They have a very strange position. Police captain Viarenich told me: “You will lose your job tomorrow, you will not be a city council member, and just shut up”. That’s how he talked to me. Quite strange of a police officer. I did not understand why he was talking like that”.
According to Natalla Akaronak, soon after the incident the police detained one of the assailants. However, soon they let him go. Nevertheless, Natalla Akaronak is going to insist the police find and punish everyone who beat her and her husband. From unofficial sources we know the police are not considering the version that the attack was politically motivated. According to their main version, that was a regular hooliganism. The Belarusian Social Democratic Party Narodnaya Hramada made a statement about the incident. The Party believes that was a revenge on their members for their public and political activities.