Siarhei Ustsinau: conditions in Belarusian pre-trial prisons are equaled to torture

The human rights defender Siarhei Ustsinau stated that the suspect in an attack on the delinquents’ isolation center in Akrestsin Street who had spent 9 days in the pre-trial prison applied to the procuracy with a complaint in connection with improper conditions of detention.

The conditions in which he had to live for 9 days are cruel, inhuman and degrading. The night temperature in the cell was 7-9 degrees Celsius, which cannot but be called a torture. Ihar Chapiha also intends to apply for compensation of the moral damage done to him by the detention in prison.

’According to the Criminal Process Code of Belarus, a person can be detained without charges for 72 hours, that’s why Ihar was re-detained three times for different reasons. As far as he was released without getting any charges, he can go to the law and demand a compensation for moral harm,’ comments Siarhei Ustsinau.

The human rights defender believes that the practice of repeated detentions of people without sufficient reasons must be eradicated, including by means of applying to court.