Militia arrested BHC observer for 10 days in ER (updated)

Famous human rights activist, representative of the Belarusian Helsinki Committee in Vitsebsk Paval Levinau had been detained today by militia officers in an emergency room of Vitsebsk city clinical hospital No. 2.

As the Charter’97 press center has learnt from the Belarusian Helsinki Committee, Paval Levinau went to the prosecutor of Vitsebsk Region at 4.30 pm, where he planned to seek for cancelling of unlawful court decision on his case. It should be reminded that the human right activist rendered legal assistance to journalists during the searches over the case of Minich-Marozau-Abozau (cartoons case on political cartoons, whose main character is Alyaksandr Lukashenka). In the course of the legal proceedings the human rights activist was accused of allegedly using of obscene language towards militia major Skarynovich. Levinau was also accused of defiance to militia officers. Militiamen took video of the incident, but the video record wasn’t filed to the case, as a camera belongs to a militia officer and the law allows to dispose of footage on one’s will. There were some trial on the case, and the court delivered a judgement (10 days of arrest and a fine 700,000) in absentia (though Levinau asked to postpone a trial), which contradicts the law.

The prosecutor of the Vitsebsk Region promised to settle up the matter after the meeting with Levinau. When Levinau was leaving the building, militia officers tried to detain him, referring to the court decision on 10 days of arrest. Levinau tried to come back to the prosecutor’s office, but as a result riot militia officers helped to detained him.

The human rights activist felt seedy in the Pershamaiski district militia department, where he had been guarded to, and emergency ambulance took him to Vitsebsk 2nd clinical hospital. A duty doctor had a telephone talk... and refused to admit the human rights activist. When leaving the hospital, Levinau lost conscience and regained his senses only in an emergency room after some hours. The human rights activist had hypertensive crisis.

Four militiamen, namely deputy head on public security of the Pershamaiski district militia department Dmitryenka A. and his subordinates, watched Levinau’s ward during a night.

In the morning Levinau was discharged from hospital in spite of his serious health condition. As soon as the human rights activist was handed a medical certificate, militiamen rushed into the ward and guarded him to the Pershamaiski district militia department in hospital attire. Levinau will serve a 10-day term of arrest.

“The human rights activist appealed against all court decisions on administrative sanctions, but his appeals haven’t been heard yet. However, the decisions are enforced and Levinau is arrested. It is obvious that the militia press on doctors who don’t render medical aid. Of course, actions of militia are unlawful, from our point of view. A BHC representative became a victim of persecution for human rights activities. It happened because he monitored the coming elections,” BHC head Aleh Hulak told in an interview to the Charter’97 press center.