Valiantsina Akulich's review complaint concerning son's death in Svetlahorsk remand prison turned down

Chairman of the Homel Regional Court Siarhe Shautsou dismissed the review appeal of Svetlahorsk resident Valiantsina Akulich, who has been trying to achieve the punishment for police officers involved in the death of her son.

HRC "Viasna" prepared a review appeal to the chairman of the court after the Svetlahorsk District Court dismissed her appeal against another refusal of the Investigation Committee to initiate criminal proceedings against Svetlahorsk policemen. The woman insists that the actions of R. Stseshankouand A. Bachko were criminal, because instead of timely call for medical assistance for her son, who developed a temporary psychical disorder, the guards “calmed him down” with clubs.

"May 26, 2012, Akulich A.A. died in the detention center of the Svetlahorsk District Police Department. The cause of his death was established by forensic examinations, including a comprehensive one, No. 169, on May 20, 2013. It appears to bechronic alcohol intoxication, complicated by the development of alcohol withdrawal state with delirium and brain edema. In addition, some injuries were found in the form of numerous abrasions and bruises, which belong to the category of light and have no causal connection with the death of Akulich A.A. ..."- answers Chairman of the regional court Shautsou, rejecting the appeal.

"Chairman of the regional Court did not take the trouble to explain the shortcomings of motivation of the review appeal, and once again reminded that the killed man was suffering from alcohol dependence. And this fact was to have imposed additional responsibility on the police officers, because the man was in a morbid state," commented the answer lawyer Paul Sapelka. According to him, the next step in this case will be filing a supervisory appeal to the Deputy Chairman of the Supreme Court.

Human rights defenders also prepare a communication to the Committee on Human Rights of the UN, considering the actions of officers of the Svetlahorsk District Police Department as an act of cruel and inhuman treatment. We hope that the address to the Human Rights Committee can push the investigative authorities to appropriate action. As witnessed by the practice of the HRC "Viasna" in the case of torture of Piatro Kuchura in Mahiliou colony, the involvement of international mechanisms can break the deadlock.