Yury Liashenka challenges actions of medics who detained him while picketing

April 1, Salihorsk civil society activist, wheelchair user Yury Liashenka filed a claim to the Salihorsk District Court. He asks the court to find the actions of the medics who detained him at a picket, took him to hospital contrary to his will and injected him with an unknown substance illegal and violating his right not to be subjected to torture or to cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment.

Earlier, Mr. Liashenka appealed to the head of the Department of Health Care of the Homel Regional Executive Committee and the Ministry of Health. However, this state agencies answered that the actions of the medics were legitimate. The activist, in his turn, believes that in this case the medics were used for political persecution.

Let us remind that on November 25 the social activist intended to hold a picket on the central square of Svetlahorsk with the aim to turn the public attention to violations of the rights of persons with disabilities. However, suddenly he was approached by an ambulance car, which drove him away together with his wheelchair. He was taken to a hospital where he was given injections of unknown substances.

Then there came a policeman who drew up a report for unauthorized picket, for which Yury Liashenka was subsequently punished with a fine of 2 basic units.

"I am sure that in this particular case the health care staff have been involved in the implementation of political persecution due to my intention to exercise my inalienable civil and political rights. I want to get answers to such questions as who and on what basis called an ambulance for me, a person protesting on the square, and who ordered the medics to take me to hospital against my wheel where I was forcedly given unknown injections,” reads the lawsuit.

Homel Spring