Most administrative detainees report rights violations at stage of detention
Human rights defenders arrived at a conclusion that the majority of human rights violations against persons subjected to administrative arrest are committed during the initial stage of their detention. The findings are based on interviewing persons sentenced to short prison terms for political reasons during 2014 in different cities of Belarus.
Over the past year, the Human Rights Center “Viasna” documented 104 cases of administrative arrest for political reasons in respect of 88 activists.
As a result of complaints received by the organization’s legal advice office, a detailed survey was carried out in 40 cases involving 37 people, representing 38.5% of the total number of persons subjected to administrative proceedings. They agreed to answer 95 questions relating to the stages of detention, their stay at the police station and in court, as well as the conditions of imprisonment.
Of these 40 profiles, 4 cases of detention and punishment took place in Barysau, 1 – in Hrodna, 1 - in Slonim, 1 - in Navapolatsk, 1 - in Yelsk (detention occurred at the border with Ukraine), the remaining 32 - in Minsk.
15 detainees mentioned that they were not members of civil society or political organizations.
Age of detainees ranges between 18 and 72.
The results of the survey show an extended trend to ignore the procedural rights of individuals at the stage of detention, and poor conditions of imprisonment.
