Police apologized and paid 100,000 rubles as compensation
The transport police of Babruisk offered official apologies to Taisiya Kabanchuk, activist of the organizing committee of the Belarusian Christian Democracy Party, for the violent actions of policemen on 25 March. The woman also received from them 100,000 Belarusian rubles as a compensation for an unused railway ticket and broken glasses.
Bear in mind, that the aforementioned incident had taken place at the railway station of Babruisk on 25 March, when Taisiya Kababchuk was detained while going to the Freedom Day action in Minsk.
’Major Khorau came to me and asked excuse for actions of his subordinates who had arrested me at the railway station. On 25 March the policemen justified their actions by saying that they had received anonymous information that I was trafficking drugs. They searched me at the police station and found no drugs. That’s what he apologized for. He also brought me financial compensation for the broken glasses and the railway ticket that I was unable to use as a result of the detention.
Some time before this visit, Aliaksandr Staravoitau, Deputy Prosecutor of the transport police, came to my home. He put down my explanations and said that the loss incurred as a result of the police actions would be compensated to me,’ comments Taisiya Kabanchuk.
The activist also received written information that the criminal case against her was dropped.
’My detention received a wide coverage in independent press. All this took place during the electoral campaign. On 25 March the documents for registration of my candidacy for the elections were filed to the election commission. Many people found out about the violent actions of the police towards me. The people saw how I was arrested at the railway. That’s why the police decided to drop the case, as it was inconvenient for them,’ she adds.
On 25 March Taisiya Kabanchuk was charged with insubordination to the police. She could also have stood trial the same day if she hadn’t solicited for a lawyer. As a result, the trial was delayed. Bear in mind that besides disrupting her journey to Minsk and breaking her glasses, the policemen also injured Taisiya’s hand.
