"They broke my ribs and found me guilty." Survivor stories
The Human Rights Center "Viasna” and the World Organization Against Torture (OMCT) launched a campaign to document cases of torture, cruel, inhuman and degrading treatment of protesters on August 9-13. Some testimonies of people who survived torture and violence will be published on our website as evidence of crimes committed by security forces.
Andrei Kazanovich, a member of the Belarusian Social Democratic Party, was detained by the riot police in Minsk in the evening of August 10. He did not make it to the detention center at Akrescin Street and had no time to sign the administrative offense report at the police department where he had been taken because after the beating he lost consciousness and was taken to hospital. But this did not prevent Kazanovich from being charged with participating in an unauthorized protest.
That day, Andrei Kazanovich was walking towards Rakaŭskaja Street. Suddenly, he saw a young man being pushed into a minibus. Meanwhile, another minibus stopped behind Andrei's back, and four masked riot policemen ran out of it.
"They attacked me, put me on the ground, began to hit me," recollects Andrei Kazanovich. "They put on handcuffs and started beating me on the head. Then they lifted me and pushed into the van. Inside, I also faced with violence.
We were sitting with heads lowered and hands behind our heads. It seemed like I had got into some movie. The riot policemen were rudely speaking to us all the time. They said: 'So you want freedom? Do you need change? Do you lack anything? We will show you another life now!' At the same time, they were beating us: they hit us on the head, on the body. They were wearing balaclavas. Young guys, 25-30 years old."
When six detainees were brought to the minibus, all of them were transported to a bigger police van. There, too, when the doors were closed, "they started beating up everyone.” Andrei was allegedly beaten by a riot police commander.
After the beating, Kazanovich and four other detainees were placed into a narrow section inside the police van.
"There was a small window, almost a hole through which we could breathe. We stood there for almost an hour in this condition. That was horrible."
More detainees were brought to the police van, and each newcomer was beaten. When 29 people gathered, the police van started and moved around the city for a long time until it finally came to the Zavodski district police department.
"All the detainees were put on the ground in the yard. They could not turn their heads. We were lying like this while all the detainees were being interrogated one by one.”
Then everyone was videotaped and transferred to another yard, as the first one had been filled with new detainees. All of them were put on the ground face down. Andrei does not remember anything from then on, because he lost consciousness and came to his senses only in an ambulance. He does not know how he was taken out of the police station and who called the ambulance.
Kazanovich was taken to the 2nd City Clinical Hospital. According to the doctor's report, he had a rib fracture, a brain injury, damages, and many bruises.
Although no administrative offense report was drawn up at the Zavodski police department, the trial took place. The first hearing was scheduled for August 27, but Andrei received the subpoena only the next day. Therefore, the trial was postponed to September 4. At the trial, Andrei petitioned for familiarization with the case materials. Therefore, the hearing was postponed again till September 8.
"The reports I saw in my case file were fake. They wrote that I had been detained in one place while I was detained in another place. The witnesses were fake (the witness, police officer V. Sliski did not appear at the trial). My signature was forged.
I was surprised when the court considered my case. I gave the judge the opportunity to verify my real signature and the signature on the record. The judge was also surprised."
Nevertheless, on September 8, judge G. Yankovski decided to punish Andrei Kazanovich with a fine of 20 base values. The judge found that on August 10, Kazanovich took part in a ten-minute procession along the Pieramožcaŭ Avenue, demanded a change of power clapping his hands, and thus violated the law.
More stories of people who survived police violence and torture:
"When they looked at my ID, the beating became softer." Survivor stories
Rape threats and "shared responsibility". Survivor stories
"You have thrown Molotovs!" they said and hit us with a Taser." Survivor stories
"They started beating me again and said: 'This is a refill for you!'" Survivor stories
"A paramedic came and started beating people." Survivor stories
"White paint was poured on my head. It was like a sign to beat me harder." Survivor stories
"One of them beats you and the other aims at you with a machine gun." Survivor stories
"They took away my bra with a breast prosthesis." Survivor stories
"Road police officers broke my arm during detention." Survivor stories
"I was lucky to be a journalist and to have my kidneys thrashed previously." Survivor stories
“We will shoot you and you will never be found.” Survivor stories
“We were trampled in the police bus.” Survivor stories
“Now we’ll show you how to s..t your pants." Survivor stories
“So you are for Tsikhanouskaya?” Survivor stories
"Officers abused me all the time because I’m black." Survivor stories
“They kicked me in the head with their police boots.” Survivor stories
“People were screaming every night.” Survivor stories