Father of killed soldier applies to UN

05.11.2008. Tags: international organizations.
Source: Charter`97.

Dweller of Krychau town Alexander Shamryn sent a complaint to the United Nations Commission on Human Rights to defend interest of his family in a dispute with the state.

The ground for the complaint is the death of his son Alexander who died three years ago while serving in army. According to an official version, it was an accident. But father thinks the reason was non-manual relations in the military unit, RFE/RL reports.

Alexander Shamryn was killed during the fifth month of his army service. He was killed in a military unit near Barysau town. According to the official version, on 16 June 2005, the young soldier fell down from 2.5 meters during reparatory works in a battery room. On 28 June Alexander Shamryn died of injuries at hospital.

The soldier’s father thinks the investigation was formal. According to him, investigators didn’t question senior conscripts about a possible fight between them and the young soldier.

‘Only one version considered - accident. A senior conscript didn’t know what to say at the trial. But when prosecution read out their version, he understood what he must say. It was not a trial but a showdown between colonels, lieutenant colonels and majors. I want the persons, guilty in my son’s death, to be punished,’ Alexander Shamryn said.

He stated that he has applied to all courts in Belarus and hasn’t found a fair judgment. He hopes for the UN commission now.

Lieutenant Colonel in reserve Mikalai Statkevich thinks is really hard to clear out details of the soldier’s death, because the Belarusian army is closed for the society. According to Statkevich, military commandment tries to hide such facts, interpreting them as accidents.

‘They do so in order not to spoil statistics, career, not to bring responsibility for such events. It can hardly be changed without outside control. There should be public organizations that have access to army. Militaries should have an opportunity to address to such organizations. These organizations should have the right to conduct their investigations and appeal to courts,’ said the lieutenant colonel.