The police stopped female protesters, some of whom were dressed in white and red, in reference to the flag. They demanded the police to cease unlawful detentions. The police refused and continued detaining women and forced them in vans.
Perpetrators
Special Purpose Police Unit OMON
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 peaceful assembly
Right to liberty and security of person
EXPLORE CASE
CASE #435
Date
15 / 11 / 2020
City
Minsk
Description
There was a protest in a residential area. Two navy blue police vans (Ford) were present in the area. The police were dressed in black and armed with pump shotguns and carried large containers with some liquefied gas. The demonstrators shouted slogans. A male in a grey vest with a backpack, who appeared to be on an empty highway, threw something at one of the vans.
Perpetrators
Undefined
Type of violation
Abduction
Arbitrary or unlawful arrest and/or detention
Cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment
Deprivation of medical attention
Threats against the victim (death threats)
Use of excessive force
Use of pepper spray (close proximity)
Use of tear gas
International classification of violations
Prohibition of torture, cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment
Right to freedom of peaceful assembly
Right to liberty and security of person
Right to Life
EXPLORE CASE
CASE #434
Date
11 / 11 / 2020
City
Minsk
Description
Video 1: A man in white pants, a white sweatshirt and a black jacket took the victim, allegedly Raman Bandarenka, to the ground using a wrestling move. Bystanders urged the perpetrators to stop.
Perpetrators
Plain clothed police officers
Undefined
Type of violation
Abduction
Arbitrary or unlawful arrest and/or detention
Beating
Disappearance
Physical assaults (other)
Unlawful confiscation of property
Use of excessive force
International classification of violations
Prohibition of torture, cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment
Right to freedom of opinion and expression
Right to freedom of peaceful assembly
Right to liberty and security of person
Right to Life
Right to protection of property
EXPLORE CASE
CASE #433
Date
27 / 09 / 2020
City
Homyel / Gomel
Description
Mass detentions of demonstrators by about 50 police officers. Two young men were taken by force by two policemen outside the demonstration. Two others tackled to the ground by several policemen, one of them was eventually carried by four policemen by his arms and legs while he tried to free himself from their grip. Two plainclothes police agents stood nearby observing the happening. An off-screen voice pointed at them as “tikhari”.
Perpetrators
Militsiya of the Republic of Belarus (regular police of Belarus)
Plain clothed police officers
Special Purpose Police Unit OMON
Type of violation
Arbitrary or unlawful arrest and/or detention
Cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment
Use of excessive force
International classification of violations
Prohibition of torture, cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment
Right to freedom of opinion and expression
Right to freedom of peaceful assembly
Right to liberty and security of person
EXPLORE CASE
CASE #432
Date
27 / 09 / 2020
City
Viciebsk / Vitebsk
Description
Music was playing in the background as though to entertain public on the victory square. Five people were merely sitting and wondering around when the police approached and detained four of them. One of the detainees was a young man in a red cap and white hoodie, possibly in reference to the white and red flag. The Police took him first, then asked his male friend. When one of the women commented police actions, she and her friend were detained as well.
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 #431
Date
27 / 09 / 2020
City
Hrodna / Hrodno
Description
Violent arrest of several men in the city of Hrodna. Some people were dragged to the ground by OMON officers. Others tried to defend themselves or to help people who were being taken away by force. Punches and blows with batons were given by the police.
Perpetrators
Special Purpose Police Unit OMON
Undefined
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
Use of excessive force
International classification of violations
Prohibition of torture, cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment
Right to freedom of opinion and expression
Right to freedom of peaceful assembly
Right to liberty and security of person
EXPLORE CASE
CASE #430
Date
27 / 09 / 2020
City
Lida
Description
Detentions of three civilian males by fully equipped OMON officers. The latter were present in high number. One of the detainees were a white-red hat. He was forced in Gazel white van with the license plate ‘6661 KI-4’. Another detainee was carried by hands and feet.
Perpetrators
Special Purpose Police Unit OMON
Type of violation
Arbitrary or unlawful arrest and/or detention
Cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment
Use of excessive force
International classification of violations
Prohibition of torture, cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment
Right to freedom of opinion and expression
Right to freedom of peaceful assembly
Right to liberty and security of person
EXPLORE CASE
CASE #429
Date
26 / 09 / 2020
City
Minsk
Description
Two young women were at the Taraykovsaha Memorial. One of them was dressed in a white dress holding flowers. A traffic policeman stopped them later joined by two other men in civilian clothes. All three wanted the girl in the white dress to follow them. She refused. Then they grabbed her by arm and forced them into a white minibus that just arrived. The other girl proceeded with them. When they loaded the victims in the minibus, several policemen in black came out to help.
Perpetrators
Traffic Police (ГАИ)
Undefined
Type of violation
Arbitrary or unlawful arrest and/or detention
Use of excessive force
International classification of violations
Right to freedom of opinion and expression
Right to liberty and security of person
EXPLORE CASE
CASE #428
Date
26 / 09 / 2020
City
Minsk
Description
According to the description of the video , this woman was interviewed by the national telecompany ‘БT’. Her daughter had been detained earlier. Officers in masks and green unmarked uniforms were standing quietly nearby, waiting for the interview to end. his woman was dressed in red and white. A policeman was filming her interview as well. On the video, OMON agents took the woman into one of the vans parked nearby. She screamed at the detention. Bystanders shamed the agents demanding to stop unlawful actions.
Perpetrators
Plain clothed police officers
Undefined
Type of violation
Arbitrary or unlawful arrest and/or detention
Use of excessive force
International classification of violations
Right to freedom of opinion and expression
Right to liberty and security of person
EXPLORE CASE
CASE #427
Date
26 / 09 / 2020
City
Zaslawye / Zaslavl'
Description
Video 1: a group of protesters gathered in a residential area. The police ordered them to turn off their smartphones to avoid any video being streamed on the internet. To protesters’ request to introduce themself, the police went silent.
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
Use of excessive force
International classification of violations
Prohibition of torture, cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment
Right to freedom of opinion and expression
Right to freedom of peaceful assembly
Right to liberty and security of person
EXPLORE CASE
CASE #425
Date
26 / 09 / 2020
City
Minsk
Description
A man was arrested by force by 3 plainclothes officers in a white Ford van despite protests from the crowd. At the end of the video, an officer is seen filming the arrest scene.
Perpetrators
Plain clothed police officers
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 peaceful assembly
Right to liberty and security of person
EXPLORE CASE
CASE #424
Date
26 / 09 / 2020
City
Minsk
Description
Several OMON officers intervened when they saw Nina Baginskaya holding a large white and red flag in her hands. One of the policemen wanted to violently tear the flag from her hands but she resisted. However, the policeman managed to take the flag from her hands and put it in one of the vans. Nina Baginskaya tried to get it back by getting into the van.