Vitsebsk: police order beating of youth activist

On 30 September in the evening in the center of Vitsebsk the member of the Belarusian Christian Democracy Party Ales Halavan was attacked by five persons. The member of the Conservative-Christian Party Belarusian Popular Front (CCP BPF) Siarhei Kavalenia managed to seize one of them. The seized man said that the beating of Halavan was ordered by Vitsebsk police as a revenge for the complaint that was filed by Halavan with the head of Chyhunachny district police department of Vitsebsk against the unlawful actions of police officers.

Bear in mind that on 27 September Mr. Halavan was detained by police for handing out the Pramen and Krynitsa bulletins and other informational materials of the BCD. During his stay at the police station the policemen allowed provocative and tactless expressions about the Belarusian language and his religious convictions. In his complaint the BCD activist described in detail all their outrages against him.

On 30 September, during the beating the offenders passed Ales ‘greetings’ from Kalinouski, head of Kastrychnitski district police department of Vitsebsk, and Skarynovich, officer of mass actions department of Vitsebsk city executive committee. Both of them know Ales Halavan as participant of opposition’s actions.

At present Ales Halavan registers the beating.