Riot police beat young people in court

Zmitser Fedaruk was beaten brutally when detained in Centralny court of Minsk.

He left the court of the Central district together with other visitors. Yesterday the youth activists detained on 16 January, the Solidarity Day, were tried there. When leaving the court, Fedaruk was knocked down by seven police officers and thrown into a police car. He struck his head against the floor of the car, but his legs were outside, and then the policemen began to shove him into the car, RFE/RL reports.

Girls and parents of the arrested began to shout in the street to save the boy. Policemen didn’t allow anybody to come close to the car. We don’t know Zmitser’s present health condition.  

He has recently left hospital, where he was recovering from head injury he had received during the crackdown of the demonstration “For Independence!” on 12th December.

Zmitser Fedaruk was guarded to Centralny district police department of Minsk, and then to the special prison facility on Akrestsina Street. Mikita Shutsiankou, activist of the civil campaign “For Freedom”, detained earlier in the court building, is also kept there. They are to have trials today.

Mikola Serhiyenka, member of the United Civil Party, phoned his friends and said he was watched by police. Later he phoned again and said he was followed by people in civvies. After that he didn’t answer the phone. Mikola Serhiyenka’s friends think he has been detained and is kept in prison on Akrestsina Street, too.