Lukashenka awards order to policeman who kicked journalist

Lukashenka has given medals, orders and ranks of popular and honoured – to a few dozen people.

The order of the 3rd degree "For Service to the Motherland» was awarded exclusively to police generals: Deputy State Secretary ofthe Security Council Aliaksandr Kanavalau, First Deputy Minister of Internal Affairs, chief of the criminal police of the Interior Ministry Valiantsin Mikhnevich and the head of the police department of the Vitsebsk Regional Executive Committee Ihar Yauseyeu.

Ihar Yauseyeu is known as a tireless fighter for the cleanup of Minsk from dissidents. Before June 2012, he was the head of the public safety department of the Minsk City Executive Committee. He coordinated the crackdown on protests, including the dispersal of the Square on December 19, 2010. All regular protesters and independent journalist know him by face quite well.

It was Yauseyeu who kicked photo correspondent Ulazdimir Hrydzin on December 20, 2012 and knocked him down to snow. This moment was shot on camera by his colleagues. Ihar Yauseyeu received a considerable promotion for his diligence – now he is the head of the police department of the Vitsebsk Regional Executive Committee, got the rank of major general and was banned entrance to the EU.

Ihar Yauseyeu also took an active part in the brutal crackdown on the “silent protests” in Minsk. In a video of Radio “Liberty” one can see Mr. Yauseyeu violently detaining a family with a small child. Later he pulled the camera out of th ehands of the Radio “Liberty” journalist Halina Abakunchyk.

The Order of Honor "For a great contribution to the implementation of the national information policy" was also awarded to another official banned entry to the European Union - BetTA CEO Dzmitry Zhuk.