Artur Finkevich: “I’ve changed six cells during 15 days of arrest”

Artur Finkevich, one of the Young Front leaders, told in the interview to the Charter’97 press center about 15 days of arrest, he had to serve in the detention center for participation in Freedom Day demonstration. He had to change six cells during his term.

– We were detained on 25 March. It was very brutally. Riot militiamen beat us at heads with truncheons and fists, at legs with shields and boots with steel knee-pads. It’s very painful – people were knocked down... Zmitser Dashkevich, Alena Makarevich and I tried to break through the cordon, but commander of Minsk riot militia Padabed ordered: “take these cruds.” We were packed into a bus. At first they threw me, than Dashekevich and Alena Makarevich above me. So we lied in stacks... What one can say, if they beat even journalists, they were in the same bus with us with damaged faces and noses... The authorities apparently choose such actions to response to U.S. sanctions against Belneftekhim. But I’m sure the regime has lost due to this cruel crackdown. I’m sure these spring actions will be even more popular and will evoke greater resonance, Artur Finkevich says.

It wasn’t easy in the detention center on Akrestin Street, according to Finkevich. He had to change six (!) cells.

“I had an unpleasant conversation with the chief of the detention center on the first day of my being there. I was indignant that it was forbidden to pass sleeping bags to us. Besides they banned to pass meal, they banned to pass even warm cloths! I delivered an ultimatum: I said if they don’t give us sleeping bags, 26 arrested demonstrators will demand to call emergency ambulance every 15 minutes. In reply they separated me from political prisoners, and began to transfer to other cells... They threatened me to give additional 5 days of arrest. I shared cells with hoboes, hooligans, alcoholics... Many of them suffered from pediculosis. We were searched very often. They dumped out all hygiene means, towels, tooth brushes to the dirty floor, and then checked every seam. All cells were overcrowded,” Finkevich told.