Mahiliou police unwilling to admit mistakes

Mr. Baleika, head of the police department of Mahiliou regional executive committee, says that the publication on the department’s website does not contain any defamatory data and there are reasons for refuting it, instead of apologizing for a shameful article about human rights defender Barys Bukhel.

Barys Bukhel is more than surprised, since the information on him and Bykhau resident Aliaksandr Shachanok is inaccurate and undermines their dignity, honor and reputation.

"The article about me and the administrative case of Aliaksandr Shachanok appeared on the website of Mahiliou police department in response to an article that was posted on the website of the Human Rights Center "Viasna". The article told about how Shachanok become a victim of policeman Vital Vashchyla, who fabricated his administrative case, which later fell apart in court," said Barys Bukhel.

The human rights defender stresses that it took a year to “solve” the fraud charges and bring the policeman to account.

"Aliaksandr Shachanok learned about the charges brought against him only after he received a summons to appear in court. He was accused of allegedly beating his neighbor. In court, seeing the file, he discovered that neither the signatures nor the record by him and his wife in the transcript of interrogation was made with their hands. The case was dismissed on the grounds that there was not even a statement by the victim," said Barys Bukhel.

This was followed by four examinations of Aliaksandr’s handwriting and that of his wife, which confirmed that the signatures and recording in the report were not made by Aliaksandr Shachanok and his wife.

"The policeman never admitted that he falsified the records – he claimed that the signature and writing were made by Shachanok and his wife. Having received no punishment for this, policeman Vashchyla managed once again to forge the signature of Shachanok’s wife and trumped up the records of examination of two other witnesses in an administrative case, which was initiated after a complaint by Shachanok’s wife," said Barys Bukhel.

Struggling for an adequate punishment for the corrupt policeman, Aliaksandr Shachanok wrote complaints to various authorities, demanding prosecution of Vashchyla for forgery of documents; he even was received by the Minister of the Interior.

As a result, the dishonest police officer was fired, Bykhau district police chief Andreichykau received a reprimand, and the head of department of law and order of the same police department Anfisau was deprived of a monthly bonus, as reported in the letter from head of the Main Department of Internal Affairs Melnik.

Another complaint by Aliaksandr Shachanok regarding policeman Vashchyla is currently under consideration and may be followed by a criminal investigation into the falsification of documents.

"Are these facts are not enough to admit one’s mistakes and apologize? After the answer I and Shachanok are going to court to defend our honor, dignity and business reputation and to ensure that the website publishes a rebuttal to previously published information. As yet, policemen only provide more occasions to write about their flaws," said Barys Bukhel.