Trade union activist complains about detention conditions in Niasvizh jail

Aliaksandr Vaitseshyk, activist of the independent trade union of radio-electronic industry (REP) in the city of Baranavichy, who served a 2-day detention in the police department of Niasvizh for requesting a book of complaints in a local canteen, has written a complaint to the Prosecutor General’s Office. In his complaint, the activist tells about poor conditions of detention and asks to close the temporary detention facility of the Niasvizh district police department.

Aliaksandr Vaitseshyk says that the cell was very cold, especially at night, since the battery was not warm. He argues that the daytime temperature was about 12-14 degrees Celsius, and at night it was around +10. As a result, the prisoner could not sleep and it was impossible to keep warm. The ventilation was out of order, and the smoke made it difficult to breathe. Therefore, he had a bad cough, pain in the back and waist. The complaint states that the cell had no toilet and the inmates had to use a bucket that was located in a dirty corner. The stench in the cell was disgusting, says the activist. And the prisoners had to take their meals and sleep in such anti-human and anti-sanitary conditions. The inmates, says Aliaksandr Vaitseshyk, were not allowed to visit the toilet due to lack of police officers.

The cell had no drinking water, not enough daylight and electric light, the doctor never examined the detainees, it was impossible to call the family, there were no walks, either.

Aliaksandr Vaitseshyk considers that the conditions of his detention in the police department of Niasvizh from 17 to 19 November violate his rights under Article 25 of the Constitution of the Republic of Belarus, Article 7 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, Article 18.3 of the Procedural Executive Code of Administrative Offenses and the internal regulations of special institutions of the Interior performing administrative penalty in the form of administrative detention, approved by Resolution of the Ministry of Interior of August 8, 2007.

Aliaksandr Vaitseshyk asks the Prosecutor General’s Office to:

1. Conduct a prosecutor's investigation of these facts with the obligatory visit to the detention center in order to assess the exercise of human rights and the current legislation in the implementation of the activities of special institutions.

2. Recognize the conditions of his detention in the temporary detention of the Niasvizh police department as cruel, inhuman and degrading.

3. Close the temporary detention facility in Niasvizh until the necessary conditions of detention are provided in accordance with applicable law.

4. Punish those responsible for the violations.