With brain concussion, an activist from the youth movement Zubr in Belaaziorsk Artsiom Hovin was taken to hospital

28.02.2006.

Artsiom Hovin says that he was beaten by two police officers. This happened on 26 February after Artsiom had been detained with a paint can as he was painting the slogan “We want Changes!” on a wall. Two hours after the detention the guy was released, and in the morning he felt bad and was taken to hospital. Now Artsiom Hovin is in the surgery department of Belaaziorsk town hospital with brain concussion. The doctors still forbid him to use a mobile phone, but the youth movement activist Iryna Toustsik managed to have a talk with the guy.
This is what Iryna Toustsik said to Radio Liberty: "He feels bad, vomits and has a headache all the time. Despite this investigators came to him and tried to interrogate him. They are going to institute criminal proceedings, without specifying the crime committed. They threatened disorderly conduct or damage inflicted through graffiti. Artsiom refused to give evidence because he is feeling very bad".
According to Iryna Toustsik, now Artsiom Hovin’s friends are looking for a human rights activist or a lawyer to defend the boy in court. Also, Artsiom Hovin is planning to appeal to the procurator’s office for criminal action against the police officers who had beaten him.
Belaaziorsk police refused to comment the information that two police officers had allegedly beaten Artsiom Hovin.
Artsiom Hovin is only 17 years, a student of a Belaaziorsk school. Artsiom is not new to the Zubr youth movement - he has already been detained by the police.
By the way, the Zubr informed that since September 2005 370 cases of pressure against this unregistered organization have been recorded. The pressure means detentions, arrests, invitations to KGB for “talks”, and also attempts to recruit the organization members for collaboration.

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