Belarusian awards: official becomes “man of the year” despite beating his subordinates

Director of the Mahiliou milk enterprise "Babushkina Krynka Ihar Kananchuk won the special prize of the Mahiliou Regional Executive Committee, "Man of the Year" in nomination "Industrial activity".

Several years ago, he faced up to five years in prison for beating his staff. Being the director of the enterprise, Kananchuk accused employees of stealing milk products. When the women began to prove their innocence, he beat two of them and then dismissed them from work.

The victims applied to the independent trade union which defended their interests in court. The beating was registered by forensic expertise. Testimonies were given by other workers. One of the employees had a brain concussion, as the official hit her head against his desk.

“Kananchuk wasn’t sentenced to imprisonment by luck. The criminal proceedings against him were instigated for “hooliganism”. The city administration gave him a positive characteristic. In addition, his wife had a small child. The judge offered reconciliation to the sides. The women were rehabilitated at work as a result,” comments professor Valery Berazienka, who attended the court hearings.

Ihar Kananchuk also bought a computer to each woman as a moral compensation. However, though they returned to their work, their labor contracts, which expired in a year, weren’t prolonged.

Civil activist Aliaksei Paulouski says that he phoned to the head of the city administration Stanislau Baradauka and asked him why this man was nominated for the prize, taking into account the beating of the women. The official stated that he knew nothing about it and promised to discriminate in the situation. The results speak for themselves.

The prize has been awarded in three categories – “Industrial Activity”, “Social and Political Activities” and “Non-industrial Sphere” since 2001 to innovative ideas, excellence and recognition of achievements in these areas. There were 29 nominees for this award this year. 15 of them were awarded with 350,000 Belarusian rubles. The awarding ceremony will be held on 23 February.