Time: detention - around 22:30

Place/Location: detention tool place near vulica Pieramohi, 53 (Lidskoye Gup ZhKKhMunicipal, housing authority)

Identity of the victim(s): Nikita Klim, 19

Identity of the perpetrator(s): Special Purpose Police Unit OMON; local policemen

Nikita Klim, 19, from Lida tells about his detentions and tortures.

Nikita was walking along the street and talking on the phone with his friend. He was approached by a white minibus with no number plates. Three persons in full black clothes and balaclavas got out of the van and apprehended a young male who was walking ahead of Nikita with a young female. The officers said that he took part in the rally. They approached Nikita and asked where he was going. He said that he was going to meet his friend. They demanded to see his phone and started checking his social media without permission. When they opened the Telegram app and saw the "Belarus for a living" channel. Then, they punched Nikita in the chest and moved him into the car. For five minutes, they drove and kept beating Nikita and another detainee, asking where their friends were and kept saying that they needed to detain more people. 

After five minutes on the bus, they arrived at Lida ROVD (the Lida District Department of Internal Affairs) at Vulica Pieramohi, 56 (53.894430, 25.295302). OMON officers were  waiting for them there. They threatened Nikita to break his nose "even more". Nikita was taken to the gate between the Lida ROVD and the court next to the ROVD, where numerous police officers beat him with their hands and with truncheons. Later, he was brought into the premises, which the police called "the garage" or "the car wash". Nikita was forced on his knees there and then they made him lie down on the floor. Nikita saw at least eight other detainees there. He wasn't allowed to lift his head, otherwise, they beat him with a truncheon. If any of the detainees said something, they were beaten.

While Nikita was lying facedown on the floor, the police sprayed his white jacket with a black cross on his back and a red stain on his shorts (see similar in case #478 https://www.belarusaccountabilitymap.com/case/478/). The police did this to every detainee. At some point, the police asked if anyone was thirsty, which many were. After the reply, the police started pouring cold water on people from a hose. Later, more people were brought in. All phones were confiscated. There were four-five calls from Nikita's phone to his friends, they didn't answer. While detainees were laying on the floor, the police required that they shout "Police is with the people", if they refused, they were beaten.

After approximately 5.5 hours on the concrete floor, around 4 am in the morning, Nikita was finally brought into the ROVD building. There, the police began to draw up a protocol and explained why Nikita was detained - "for participating in an unauthorized rally". After the protocol at approximately 04:30, Nikita was sent into a cell where detainees slept to approximately 13:00. Many still had wet clothes, many complained of pain after beating). They were offered medical assistance, but they all refused because there was no longer any point.

At approximately 14:30 Nikita left the cell and was taken to the court. While telling his story Nikita mentioned that he was beaten and mistreated multiple times but the judge didn't react. Quote: "The judge said: "you all say the same thing" and suggested, "either [a fee] 10 basic [incomes] or 30 days [in jail]". Nikita chose to pay a fee. Nikita doesn't have the protocol, at some point he only got a document about his belonging at the time of detention. His belt is still missing, he was told that nothing could be done about this. He also got a document regarding the confiscation of his phone until he pays the fee.

Nikita was released only around 19-20:00 all in ruined clothes and bruised. With his father, who met him outside, he wanted to record the beatings. They were denied at the nearest medical institution and told that they could only provide medical assistance. Nikita's family had to spend their savings to pay the fee.

At 12:04 Nikita says that during his time in "the garage" there was a 40-year old male who said to the police officers that he is disabled and he was headed to the pharmacy to get his medications when he was detained. He was asked where his disability was, he answered that in his leg. The police stumped on both his legs.

At 12:35 Nikita recalls that the police at some point said "We know your address and can find your family".