Yury Ziankovich Complains Against Police Self-Will
On 21 July Yury Ziankovich was detained after the authorized action in Banhalor Square in Minsk. His car was illegally searched by the police. Then his wife was rudely treated by police lieutenant colonel S. Biassmertny.
According to the press-service of the BPF Party, the head of Minsk regional BPF organization, deputy of Minsk District Deputy Soviet Yury Ziankovich has complained to Minsk Savetsky Borough Prosecutor’s Office and Security Department of the Ministry of Internal Affairs against the illegal actions of the police towards him and his wife, asking to investigate the matter and punish the guilty.
Here are the excerpts from his complaint:
At about 9 p.m., when the measure in the Druzhby Narodaw Park was over, we drove away from the parking in Kulman Street. In 300 meters our car was detained by a lieutenant of road police, who demanded to show him the documents and let him search the car. I didn’t allow the search. Then he stated he detained the car because there were “anti-presidential fly-sheets”. As a result of the dispute that lasted for about half an hour and numerous calls for support there appeared three road policemen, platoon commander, duty road policeman and the head of the road inspection, all from Savetski Borough Board of Internal Affairs…
They stated that my deputy certificate was suspicious. Then they received the order to detain my wife and me. They offered me to give them the keys from my car, but I answered that the car had nothing to do with the affair and I wouldn’t give them the keys…
Savetski BBIA was full with minors who were detained during the dispersal of the demonstration that took place in Yajub Kolas Square. Lieutenant Verabyow from criminal search department conducted a talk with us on the order of the head of the BBIA, lieutenant-colonel S. Biassmertny. He was quite polite. He took our explanations and my deputy certificate, about which he composed the appropriate act. However, even when vice-head of Minsk District Executive Committee and deputy of Minsk regional and district soviets Ihar Zinovich confirmed my being a deputy, Verabyow continued to insist that I was not and the certificate was false…
In 2,5 hours, at about 11.50 p.m. they invited me to the office room of lieutenant colonel Biassmertny. He said that my wife was to wait for me in the corridor. I stated that, according to article 62 of the Constitution of the Republic of Belarus, my wife would give me juridical and other support and I could speak with him only in her presence or wouldn’t speak at all. On hearing this he started to rudely push my wife out into the corridor. When I tried to defend her, he burst on me. One more lieutenant colonel, a person in plain clothes and major lieutenant Verabyow helped him. They threw me onto the floor and twisted my arms (Biassmertny stepped on my hand during it).
Major Lieutenant Verabyow examined my pockets. He took away my mobile phone, driver’s license and car documents, passport, keys from the car and my flat and my watch. Then both lieutenant colonels started to insult me with four-letter words, calling me “a criminal, who will be punished for forgery of the deputy certificate”. They threatened to take me into a cell, punish for disorderly conduct and assault on the police. Then Biassmertny ordered “to throw the whore out”, meaning my wife…
Biassmertny called an investigative group. He passed to them the documents and the keys from the car and ordered “to turn everything inside out and take here”. At about 12.10 p.m. we came to house 21a in Kulman Street, where my car was standing. Major Lieutenant Verabyow and the investigative group searched the car and exacted 97 fly-sheets. Then we drove to the BBIA, where they returned my documents and belongings. At about 12.50 I was let go.
