Ihar Ptsichkin's mother is prohibited to disclose information of preliminary investigation

The mother of Ihar Ptsichkin who had died in the remand prison in Valadarski Stret August 4, 2013, received a response to her appeal to the Investigation Committee of Belarus, in which she asked to report the results of the preliminary investigation into the causes of the death of her son, issue a certificate indicating the cause of death, as well as to answer the question whether the duty officials of the remand prison No. 1 were dismissed from office for the time of the investigation.

The appeal was sent on January 15. Strangely enough, it came to the Investigative Committee only on February 9, and February 12 the head of the investigation of crimes against the order of execution of military duty (!) Of the Main Department of the Investigative Committee of Belarus
U. Hryts prepared a response.

Zhana Ptsichkina was told that she could receive a copy of the ruling about the termination of the preliminary investigation, if she wanted, but was reminded that “You have been warned about the inadmissibility of the disclosure of data of the preliminary investigation in conformity with the established order. However, the law does not prohibit discussing the information of the investigation, known to you, with Your representative (counsel)."

Thus, the woman has almost no opportunities to get qualified legal assistance in the preparation of complaints in the case, because it requires the disclosure of certain information of the preliminary investigation. Nor she can familiarize journalists and other interested parties with details of the investigation so as to give publicity to the case and assure a qualified and unbiased investigation.

What concerns the certificate about the cause of death, U. Hryts replied that a copy of the ruling on the termination of the preliminary investigation, indicating the cause of death, may be requestedby
the state body which issued the certificate about the death of Ihar Ptsichkin.

The response also informs the applicant that the duty officials of prison No. 1 weren't dismissed from office for the time of the preliminary investigation. This actually indicates the absence of an all-sided and unbiased investigation, as far as such investigation is impossible provided the persons which were somehow involved in the death of the prisoner continued working at their positions at the remand prison.

The inspection into the death of I. Ptsichkin in the remand prison lasted since August 2013. The prisoner was to have service a three-month arrest for driving despite deprivation of the driver's license.

The paramedic of the remand prison No. 1, who was on duty of the night when Mr. Ptsichkin died, was accused of his death. A criminal case was instigated against him for improper performance of professional duties, which resulted in the death of a patient through negligence of the paramedic. Later the preliminary investigation into the actions of the medics of the remand prison was stopped..

Zhana Ptsichkina is convinced that the investigation was focused only on proving the involvement of the deceased in drug trafficking and strongly disagrees with it the conclusions. The results of a repeated medical expertise, with whom she got acquainted, have shown that there hadn't been any narcotic, psychotropic substances or alcohol in his blood. However, neither she nor her counsel are still allowed to familiarize with the materials of the completed inspection.

23-year-old Minsk resident Ihar Ptsichkin died on August 4, 2013 from cardiac arrest, the reasons for which weren't discovered during the forensic examination of his body. His relatives believe that he died from beatings by the guards and pointed at numerous injuries on his body, as can be seen in the photos.

Disagreeing with the reply received from the Main Board of the Investigative Committee of Belarus, Zhana Ptsichkina filed a complaint to the Chairman of the Investigative Committee and the Prosecutor General of the Republic of Belarus.

"The memory of my son was denigrated thanks to the efforts of the press-service of the Investigative Committee. Then let me, his mother, an opportunity to object to their arguments. This is no way affects the interests of the state or the rights of other citizens,” writes the mother of the deceased man in her address to high-rank state officials.