Beaten "Young Front" activists sentenced to 10 days of arrest
Zmitser Kramianetski and Mikhail Muski were detained
in Minsk on
Saturday evening while waiting for a train at Kupalayskaya metro station. According
to Charter’97, they were stopped for inspection because of a “Young Front”
cloth badge on his backpack. There was a white-red-white flag and a cross of
Euphrosyne of Polatsk on the cloth badge.
The activists were taken to the community police office in Kupalauskaya metro
station. The young guys managed to inform that an inventory of their personal
things was made, the press-service of "Young Front" informs. Zmitser
and Mikhail refused to be searched without attesting witnesses, but policemen
Andrei Hnileda and Siarhei Charnou carried out a search forcibly.
Some major came to assistance. He did not have a mane badge, and refused to
tell his name. Mikhail demanded to let him go to the WC. The major said he
would not been allowed to go to the lavatory before the report drawn up. The
major said they are to learn later about the charges against them.
When Mikhail tried to go to the lavatory himself, the major floored him and
started to kick, and then handcuffed the young man to a battery. As a result of
the beating by the police, Muski's face was smashed, and traits of police boots
were visible on Kremianetski's clothes.
Both detainees were charged under Article 17.1 of the Code of Administrative
Offenses "disorderly conduct" for alleged use of obscene language in
public. Their cases were passed to court. Mikhail Muski stated his intention to
declare a hunger-strike of protest in case the court punished him with arrest.
On 9 April the youngsters were tried at the Leninski District Court of Minsk.
Judge Homel granted the solicitation of Kramianetski for hospitalization, as
both youngsters had been beaten during the detention. A similar motion of
Mikhail Muski was rejected. He was sentenced to 10 days of arrest.
As it became known later, Zmitser Kramianetski was returned to court from
hospital, and also sentenced to 10 days of arrest.
