Struggle against the impunity of Svetlahorsk police continues

Appeals of human rights defenders of “Viasna” forced the prosecutor of the Svetlahorsk district Uladzimir Tarasenka to cancel the decision not to institute criminal proceedings in connection with the death of the Svetlahorsk resident Aliaksandr Akulich at the detention of facility of the Svetlahorsk District Police Department.

This was reported to the Human Rights Center "Viasna" by his mother, Valiantsina Akulich.

The numerous appeals to the prosecutor's office and the investigative committee, prepared with the assistance of the human rights defenders, constantly raise the question of bringing the employees of the Svetlahorsk DPD A. Bachkou and R. Stseshankou to criminal liability. This requirement is due to the fact that these police officers were on duty at the temporary detention center in the night of 26 May 2012 when Aliaksandr Akulich died there, and not only failed to timely call an ambulance, but also beat the detainee, who was in a diseased state.

In response to these complaints Valiantsina Akulich repeatedly received the same answers: "it was decided no to institute criminal proceedings on the basis of paragraph 2 Part 1 of Art. 29 of the CCP, “lack of corpus delicti in the actions". The investigation and the forensic commission permanently bypass the main issue – whether there was a direct causal link between the death of Mr. Akulich and the untimely medical assistance.

The human rights defenders together with the mother of the deceased keep appealing such rulings, trying to turn the attention of the competent authorities to this mist important issue.