District police department in Homyel rejects activist`s complaint about arrest :: Charter'97 :: News

A district police department in Homyel has thrown out a complaint filed by opposition activist Andrey Tsyanyuta in connection with his arrest last month. The young man was picked up by police in downtown Homyel on August 9. He was released shortly afterward but had his stuff seized without any explanations and returned only four days later.

Mr. Tsyanyuta described the arrest as unlawful, complaining to the Chyhunachny district police department.

In a reply to the complaint, Syarhey Byalko, a regiment chief at the Homyel regional police department, said that a thorough check had revealed nothing wrong with the police actions. In particular, he said, the policemen "performed their duties conscientiously" and complied with the interior minister`s police politeness directive while arresting Mr. Tsyanyuta.

The police official argued that the arrest was lawful, which he said is confirmed by papers attached to the case materials.

"Frankly speaking, it would be naive to think that police bosses would come out in defense of me as a citizen and recognize their personnel`s actions as unlawful. I`m sure that it is abnormal to grab people in the street, interrogate them, take their stuff away, hold them at a police station for three hours without providing any explanations and responding to complaints," the activist said. //BelaPAN