Policeman to 12-year-old girl: “You are guilty, as you demand a lawyer”

As it is stated in a complaint to the Office of Prosecutor General, filed by the mother of a 12-year-old Brest resident, a policeman from Maskouski district police department in Brest Yauhen Bury exceeded his powers at work.

“During his first visit to our house he told the elder sister that he needed to communicate with “the suspect, against whom a criminal case had been opened,” tête-à-tête. He threatened to “put her to shame” at school if she refused to confess having stolen a mobile phone from an acquaintance, or having found it.

He kept his promise. He came to school when the girl was at classes. Having talked to the teacher, he took her to another room, where he interrogated her in presence of another teacher. The teacher didn't defend the girl from the unlawful actions of the policeman.

The law enforcer didn't allow the the girl to phone her parents or a lawyer, with whom her mother had signed an agreement, and whose visit card the girl had with her. The policeman simply stated: “Now it’s all clear. You are guilty, as you demand a lawyer”. The girl felt bad at home, she fell unconscious, and an ambulance was called in.

The mother of the girl is sure that the policeman abused his authority. In her appeal she asks to open a criminal case against the policeman under Article 426 Part 3 of the Criminal Code (abuse of authority). She also asks to inform the head of the Maskouski district police department that such actions by policemen towards under aged persons are inadmissible in the future.

A human rights activist RamanKisliak believes that such actions of a criminal police officer are unacceptable. The rights of the under age person and guarantees of defence are obvious. A thorough investigation should be carried out, so that such facts would not repeat in the future, stated Mr. Kisliak.