Policemen Who Beat up Khedaruk Are Still Unpunished

09.01.2008. Tags: Young Front, beating, youth leaders.
Source: Charter`97.

Zmitser Khvedaruk, a Young Front activist, who had been cruelly beaten up by riot policemen during the protest rally ‘For independent Belarus!’ held during Putin’s visit, has received an answer to the complaint to the prosecutor’s office.

‘Institution of criminal proceeding on the fact of bodily injury inflicted to you is denied’, reads the answer signed by the head of Internal Affairs department of the Tsentralny district of Minsk V.Siniakou. Besides, an advice to address the Tsentralny police department is given.

‘It’s a usual runaround,” Zmitser Khvedaruk says. ‘They haven’t indicated the reason of denial or any additional information. The most interesting thing is that me and some other witnesses have received phone calls from the Tsentralny police department and invited for a conversation. It reminds a vicious circle again.’

By the way, it is the notorious policeman of Tsentralny police department Anatol Sushchenia who examines Zmitser’s case. This policeman is already known for his false testimony against oppositionists, by searching for dead body in the apartment of the democratic activist Aliaksandr Atroshchankau in the run-up to the European March, a scandalous trial over the brother of politician, Viachaslau Siuchyk, Kanstantsin Lukashou.

However, Zmitser is not going to give up. ‘Together with my lawyer (Maryiana Siamashka) we are going to lodge a complaint again. I understand that all our efforts are unlikely to be fruitful, but I find it necessary to make efforts to bring these criminals to account. Maybe fear to be brought to justice would affect these monsters, and such awful incidents would never happen anymore.’