Siarhei Kliuyeu Complains to Prosecutor’s Office

14.08.2007. Tags: administrative trials, political persecution.

An activist of Young Democrats Siarzhuk Kliuyeu has appealed to the prosecutor’s office against illegal actions of the police.

On 24 July he was preventively arrested in connection with celebration of State Sovereignty Day (27 July) and sentenced to 10 days of jail. The formal reason for the detention was ‘identification’. The activist spent a night in the detention center in Akrestsin Street and then was taken to Savetski borough court of Minsk. Judge Savastsian found him guilty of violating the order of holding mass actions (article 23.34 of the Administrative Code).

In the evening of 26 July, in the detention center Siarzhuk felt bad and asked to call an ambulance. He was taken to the hospital, but even there he was guarded by policemen from Savetski borough police department of Minsk. A lieutenant decided to handcuff him to a hospital bed. The guy was also kept in handcuffs at night. To the medical staff the police explained it with duty instructions. The convoy was removed only in the night of 27 July.

Such deeds can hardly be called legal. On advise of human rights activists Mr. Kliuyeu decided to complain to Savetski borough prosecutor’s office of Minsk.

By the way, it is far from the first case of such ‘health treatment’ by the police. On 28 July in Hrodna the police broke an arm to another activist of Young Democrats, Aliaksandr Shumkevich and passed him to medics only a day later. The protractors remain unpunished.