The victim was driving across the bridge; there were protestors on both sidewalks; cars beeped. A blow was heard and protestors started running. Multiple shots were heard. A police car blocked the road ahead of the victim’s car. Armed servicemen followed protestors and brutally detained them.
Perpetrators
Undefined
Type of violation
Cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment
Threats (not including death threats)
Use of excessive force
Verbal abuse
International classification of violations
Prohibition of torture, cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment
Right to freedom of peaceful assembly
EXPLORE CASE
CASE #195
Date
10 / 08 / 2020
City
Minsk
Description
Five OMON agents forced a driver out of his car, forced him to kneel down with his arms behind his back, and then forced him into their black Ford van. Two traffic officers were present, one of whom did some manipulations with the driver’s car and another regulated the traffic. According to the video description, the agents forced the driver to remove a white ribbon (a symbol of protestors) from his car and let him go.
Perpetrators
Special Purpose Police Unit OMON
Traffic Police (ГАИ)
Type of violation
Cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment
International classification of violations
Prohibition of torture, cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment
Right to freedom of opinion and expression
EXPLORE CASE
CASE #194
Date
10 / 08 / 2020
City
Minsk
Description
Internal troops were crossing the street and approaching civilians standing by a bus stop. A number of journalists retreated from the soldiers. Gunshots and flash grenade explosion were heard. One of the servicemen intentionally shot a female journalist from close proximity (approx. 10 meters) and hurt her right leg with a rubber bullet.
Perpetrators
Undefined
Type of violation
Use of excessive force
Use of rubber bullets (close proximity)
International classification of violations
Prohibition of torture, cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment
Right to freedom of the press
Right to liberty and security of person
EXPLORE CASE
CASE #193
Date
09 / 08 / 2020
City
Minsk
Description
Internal force agents and possibly OMON agents transferred detainees from one paddy wagon to (possibly) another. They forced the detainees to rush and hit them with clubs while the detainees were running to another wagon. One of detainees slipped and fell down, but quickly got up. At some point, a vehicle came to pick up the servicemen.
Perpetrators
The Internal Troops of Belarus
Undefined
Type of violation
Blows with batons and/or truncheons
Cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment
International classification of violations
Prohibition of torture, cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment
EXPLORE CASE
CASE #192
Date
02 / 09 / 2020
City
Minsk
Description
An abduction of a minor (according to the Black Book of Belarus), protestor (according to the video description in Telegram), by two men in civilian clothes. People screamed “Leave him alone! What did he do to you?” Women or girls tried to rescue the minor but could not.
Perpetrators
Militsiya of the Republic of Belarus (regular police of Belarus)
Type of violation
Arbitrary or unlawful arrest and/or detention
Denial of appropriate conditions of detention
International classification of violations
Right to freedom of peaceful assembly
Right to liberty and security of person
EXPLORE CASE
CASE #191
Date
13 / 09 / 2020
City
Žodzina / Zhodino
Description
A small group of peaceful protesters clapped and chanted “Police with People” and the like to a number of policemen. A woman with a small poster was taking a video of the policemen when one of them punched her in the face with full force. She fell down and injured her knee(s). The policeman (a major) was escorted into a silver service Volkswagen van by other policemen.
Perpetrators
Militsiya of the Republic of Belarus (regular police of Belarus)
Type of violation
Cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment
Use of excessive force
International classification of violations
Prohibition of torture, cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment
EXPLORE CASE
CASE #190
Date
09 / 08 / 2020
City
Žodzina / Zhodino
Description
Protesters walked along the streets. No acts of violence or vandalism were observed. The road next to Belaz was blocked by the police. At 6 min 50 sec, a young man was detained at an empty street near Belaz, he was forced on the ground by policemen who used abusive expressions. At that time OMON and other servicemen approached the place.
Perpetrators
Militsiya of the Republic of Belarus (regular police of Belarus)
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 #189
Date
10 / 08 / 2020
City
Žodzina / Zhodino
Description
Six people were chatting next to a car when people around start rushing away from the spot. A servicemen came up and tried to apprehend one of the men but with no success. Thereafter, he forced three other individuals onto the ground. On the arrival of ten more servicemen, they took the detained people to the unknown place.
Perpetrators
Undefined
Type of violation
Arbitrary or unlawful arrest and/or detention
Cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment
Procedural violations
International classification of violations
Prohibition of torture, cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment
Right to liberty and security of person
EXPLORE CASE
CASE #188
Date
27 / 08 / 2020
City
Žodzina / Zhodino
Description
According the NEXTA, the police were detaining a family who were walking along the street (according to the woman recording the video). A woman or girl is seen resisting the detention. As a result, she was forced into the silver van together with a man.
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 #187
Date
01 / 09 / 2020
City
Minsk
Description
OMON agents and unknown men in civilian clothes abducted students from the lyceum courtyard. The students kept tight together in defense. The abductors grabbed a few of them and pulled them out of the courtyard. One student was able to escape the abduction.
Perpetrators
Plain clothed police officers
Special Purpose Police Unit OMON
Type of violation
Abduction
Arbitrary or unlawful arrest and/or detention
Detention of minors
Physical assaults (other)
Use of excessive force
International classification of violations
Right to freedom of thought, conscience and religion
Right to liberty and security of person
EXPLORE CASE
CASE #186
Date
01 / 09 / 2020
City
Minsk
Description
Time: daytime Place/Location: clips from different parts of the city:1. Across the road from BelKniha (БелКнига) at Niezalieznasci 14;2. Stadion Dinamo, side walk – 53.896137, 27.557663 Identity of the victim(s): peaceful protesters, allegedly students Identity of the perpetrator(s): 1. Belarussian militia; 2. OMON in black uniform and balaclava masks Scene 1: Enforcement police blocked a […]
Perpetrators
Special Purpose Police Unit OMON
Type of violation
Abduction
Arbitrary or unlawful arrest and/or detention
International classification of violations
Right to freedom of peaceful assembly
Right to freedom of thought, conscience and religion
Right to liberty and security of person
EXPLORE CASE
CASE #185
Date
01 / 09 / 2020
City
Minsk
Description
A group of young protesters had been blocked from walking along the sidewalk south-west from Plosca Peramogi by OMON agents and the police. There was no evidence of violence or damage to property. Two enforcement officers were taking video of student’s faces. The press was present.
Perpetrators
Plain clothed police officers
Special Purpose Police Unit OMON
Type of violation
Arbitrary or unlawful arrest and/or detention
Physical assaults (other)
International classification of violations
Right to freedom of thought, conscience and religion