There were lots of flowers on the ground near Pushkinskaya subway. Two vans arrived to the area. Approx 15 fully-equipped policemen (black clothes and equipment) jumped out of the vans and ran uphill towards residential buildings. They grabbed a few males, possibly protesters, and took them into the vans.
Perpetrators
Special Purpose Police Unit OMON
Type of violation
Arbitrary or unlawful arrest and/or detention
International classification of violations
Right to freedom of opinion and expression
Right to freedom of peaceful assembly
Right to liberty and security of person
EXPLORE CASE
CASE #362
Date
09 / 08 / 2020
City
Minsk
Description
Mikalai Yeutushenka testified about how he got brutally and arbitrarily detained and kept at the Okrestina detention facility. At the time of detention, Mikalai was beaten in the transportation vehicle. The agents used pepper spray in the vehicle while detainees were in. He witnessed officers and detention facility staff torturing detainees. No legal aid was given to detainees demand.
Perpetrators
Detention Centre Personnel
Special Purpose Police Unit OMON
Type of violation
Arbitrary or unlawful arrest and/or detention
Beating
Cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment
Denial of appropriate conditions of detention
Denial of legal rights of arrested persons
No consultation with legal counsel permitted
Physical assaults (other)
Use of excessive force
Use of pepper spray (close proximity)
International classification of violations
Prohibition of torture, cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment
Right to fair trial (procedural violations)
Right to liberty and security of person
Violation of rights of detained or imprisoned persons
Violations of rights of accused persons
EXPLORE CASE
CASE #361
Date
10 / 08 / 2020
City
Minsk
Description
Alyaksandra was detained on the 10th of August. She testified about what was happening in the Okrestina detention centre. When detainees arrived, a female officer at the entrance would hit a detainee’s legs with truncheons and ask “How are you, bitch?” Prison staff repeatedly forced detainees to take clothes off, stand in unusual positions, insulted them. They pointed at Alyaksandra’s tattoos as a sign of her criminal past and commented that she and the like people must be killed.
Perpetrators
Detention Centre Personnel
Undefined
Type of violation
Arbitrary or unlawful arrest and/or detention
Blows with batons and/or truncheons
Cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment
Denial of appropriate conditions of detention
Forced postures
Sexual threats
Threats against the victim (death threats)
Torture
Unlawful confiscation of property
Verbal abuse
International classification of violations
Prohibition of torture (standalone)
Prohibition of torture, cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment
Right to equality/freedom from discrimination
Right to freedom of opinion and expression
Right to liberty and security of person
Right to Life
Violation of rights of detained or imprisoned persons
Violations of rights of accused persons
EXPLORE CASE
CASE #360
Date
10 / 08 / 2020
City
Minsk
Description
Night. Several traffic police officers stopped bikers, forced them on the ground and started beating them. One of the officers seemed to hold a gun, which he pointed at the victims’ heads. People on streets urged the officers to stop. At 00:41, he pointed the gun at honking drivers passing the scene.
Perpetrators
Plain clothed police officers
Special Purpose Police Unit OMON
Traffic Police (ГАИ)
Undefined
Type of violation
Arbitrary or unlawful arrest and/or detention
Beating
Cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment
Damage to property
Denial of appropriate conditions of detention
Denial of legal rights of arrested persons
Deprivation of food and/or water
Forced postures
Forced to sign unknown document(s)
No consultation with legal counsel permitted
Physical assaults (other)
Slapping, kicking or punching
Threats (not including death threats)
Threats against the victim (death threats)
Use of excessive force
Verbal abuse
International classification of violations
Prohibition of torture (standalone)
Prohibition of torture, cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment
Right to fair trial (procedural violations)
Right to liberty and security of person
Violation of rights of detained or imprisoned persons
Violations of rights of accused persons
EXPLORE CASE
CASE #359
Date
23 / 09 / 2020
City
Minsk
Description
Time: nighttime Place/Location: Spartyunaja metro entrance, vulica Prytyckaha Identity of the victim(s): car driver and passengers Identity of the perpetrator(s): undefined – police officers in uniforms without clear insignias with batons Spetnaz agents arrested several civilians. Civilians were kneeling on the side of the road next to a car.
Perpetrators
Undefined
Type of violation
Arbitrary or unlawful arrest and/or detention
Cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment
International classification of violations
Prohibition of torture, cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment
Right to liberty and security of person
EXPLORE CASE
CASE #358
Date
23 / 09 / 2020
City
Minsk
Description
A video showing several equipped police officers detaining male protesters. They loaded them onto the paddy wagons parked along the street.
Perpetrators
Undefined
Type of violation
Arbitrary or unlawful arrest and/or detention
International classification of violations
Right to liberty and security of person
EXPLORE CASE
CASE #357
Date
23 / 09 / 2020
City
Minsk
Description
A young man got apprehended by three policemen wearing all-black clothes and equipment from head-to-toe. The young man seemed to be conscious and didn’t get beaten up by the police. He pretty much sat on the ground and didn’t move at all as the three previous policemen and a forth one picked him up off the ground in a rather aggressive way, using more force than necessary to move the guy from the ground up.
Perpetrators
Special Purpose Police Unit OMON
Type of violation
Arbitrary or unlawful arrest and/or detention
Use of excessive force
International classification of violations
Right to liberty and security of person
EXPLORE CASE
CASE #356
Date
08 / 11 / 2020
City
Vawkavysk / Volkovysk
Description
A woman with a carnation was detained by a policemen at the day of the People Power March.
Perpetrators
Militsiya of the Republic of Belarus (regular police of Belarus)
Type of violation
Arbitrary or unlawful arrest and/or detention
International classification of violations
Right to freedom of opinion and expression
Right to liberty and security of person
EXPLORE CASE
CASE #355
Date
31 / 07 / 2020
City
Maladzyechna / Molodechno
Description
Journalists of Belsat were detained during live stream covering the lawful election campaign of Sviatlana Tsichanouskaya.
Perpetrators
Undefined
Type of violation
Arbitrary or unlawful arrest and/or detention
International classification of violations
Right to freedom of opinion and expression
Right to freedom of the press
Right to liberty and security of person
Right to vote, to participate in free and periodic elections and in public affairs
EXPLORE CASE
CASE #354
Date
06 / 09 / 2020
City
Baranavichy / Baranovichi
Description
At least one protester was detained by police during the protest action in Baranavichy. People unmasked one policeman and he looked to be ashamed.
Perpetrators
Militsiya of the Republic of Belarus (regular police of Belarus)
Type of violation
Arbitrary or unlawful arrest and/or detention
International classification of violations
Right to freedom of peaceful assembly
Right to liberty and security of person
EXPLORE CASE
CASE #353
Date
13 / 10 / 2020
City
Minsk
Description
Maksim Kharoshyn and his wife Katerina were apprehended on October 13, 2020 around 8:30. Katerina was released shortly without car keys and her phone; Maksim was hardly beaten, including by truncheons, and kicked at apprehension and in the RUUS. He was forced to the ground face down when the car was searched.
Perpetrators
Militsiya of the Republic of Belarus (regular police of Belarus)
Plain clothed police officers
Type of violation
Arbitrary or unlawful arrest and/or detention
Beating
Blows with batons and/or truncheons
Cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment
Slapping, kicking or punching
Torture
Unlawful confiscation of property
Use of excessive force
International classification of violations
Prohibition of torture, cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment
Right to freedom of peaceful assembly
Violation of rights of detained or imprisoned persons
EXPLORE CASE
CASE #352
Date
09 / 08 / 2020
City
Slonim
Description
Police detained people who evidently gathered to get to know the results of the elections.
Perpetrators
Militsiya of the Republic of Belarus (regular police of Belarus)