Valiantsin Stefanovich: ‘Why use water cannons if policemen like to beat people with feet?’

According to Alexander Lukashenka, the legislation in Belarus is better than in the European Union. In the interview to the Reuters agency he stated that ‘dictator Lukashenka hasn’t ever used tear gas or water cannons’.

The human rights defender Valiantsin Stefanovich commented on it to RFE/RL in the following way: ‘Why use water cannons if they like contact fighting? They severely beat demonstrators with truncheons, feet and fists. What concerns gas – in 1996 (I remember it clearly) I was poisoned by tear gas sprayed from a mace at Chernobyl Way action. In 2006, when the demonstration with Kazulin at the head headed for the prison in Akrestsin Street, gas, smoke pots and grenades were used. If he wants to say that demonstrations go on peacefully in our country and are not disbanded, it is a great lie. First of all, demonstrations cannot be held according to the legislation here, as they are not authorized by the officials.’