Lawsuit on vandalism in Kurapty has not been brought, yet :: Charter'97 :: News

The Minsk district department for internal affairs has been investigating the case of destructing the memorial, the so-called “bench of Clinton», in Kurapaty suburb. This was announced to BelaPAN by deputy head of the criminal investigation office of the Baraulyani district of the Minsk district department for internal affairs Alyaksandr Dzyagilyau.

According to him, 5 February an application from Igar Kuznyatsou came to the department. The application informed on the fact of the “bench of Clinton” destruction. “6 February investigator Dzyanis Dudarau was given the task to check the facts, reported in the application and to make decision in compliance with article 174 of the criminal code of the Republic of Belarus. Seven days after the beginning of investigation, in case the reasons appear, investigator Dudarau may appeal to the public prosecutor of the district for extending the period of investigation for another month”, Dzyagilyau said.

In the interview with BelaPAN the researcher of the Stalin’s repressions candidate of historical sciences Igar Kuznyatsou expressed his confusion concerning the appointment of a 10 days check of the related circumstances of the event. ”The fact of destruction and disappearance of the third part of the memorial erected by president Bill Clinton in1994 is obvious. I don’t understand what else the internal affairs department officials want to find out. This is the only official memorial in Kurapaty and it has been ruined and the criminal lawsuit must be brought without any additional investigation.» considers the scholar.

The fact of the “bench of Clinton” destruction was stated by the public representatives on 30 January during the action with lighted candles in commemoration of the victims of the Stalin’s repressions in the suburb, which itself is a world important historic memorial. Since its erection the memorial has been disgraced 11 times. The criminals were never found. The previous act of vandalism concerning the memorial was on 2 December last year.