Police chief in Klimavichy refuses to prosecute employee over slander

Alena Marchanka, resident of the village of Damamerychy, Klimavichy district, sent a complaint to the chief of Mahiliou regional police department and the district prosecutor, requesting to cancel the decision of an unknown employee of the police department, who ordered to drop defamation charges against police sergeant Panasenka. Ms. Marchanka urges the officials not to miss the period provided for bringing the policeman to administrative responsibility.

The complaint was submitted after Klimavichy police department closed the administrative case due to the lack of elements of an offence in the actions of the policeman.

Alena Marchanka disagreed to the conclusions of a police probe.

The woman asked to open a case under Article 9.2 of the Administrative Code (defamation) against inspector of the police station of Klimavichy Panasenka after he publicly read out a paper, which, according to Alena Marchanka, contained false and defamatory information. In particular, in characterizing the woman the inspector wrote that Alena Marchanka was “prone to lies and slander”.

Alena Marchanka argues that she has never been charged with dissemination of false or defamatory information.

Ms. Marchenko also quotes a previous reference by the same policeman, in which he characterized her as a calm and balanced person.

The woman’s confrontation with local authorities began after she opposed the destruction of her pigs over threat of African swine fever.

Alena Marchanka says she is raising pigs in order to pay for the treatment of her son, who is disabled since childhood.