Maksim Vinyarski: Water was constantly leaking in cell in detention centre

A coordinator of European Belarus civil campaign was thrown into a wet cell with a broken tap as revenge for his hunger strike.

Maksim Vinyatski was freed today. He went on hunger strike in jail protesting against unlawful arrest. Maksim Vinyarski told charter97.org details about the detention and custody.

“I was in the South-East district of Minsk at my friend's on May 30. I left he block of flats at about 10 in the morning. Three riot policemen attacked me and took away my cell phone. They did not introduced themselves and explain the reason for the detention.

I was taken to the Maskouski district police department and saw National Bolsheviks Kontush and Sinyak there. False police reports over disorderly conduct were drawn against us. We were taken to court two hours later. The trial was held behind closed doors. Judge Tatsyana Matyl sentenced me to five day sin custody. I think they wanted to isolated us during Vladimir Putin's visit.

I went on hunger strike protesting against unlawful arrest. I file an appropriate application upon arrival at the detention centre.

They were placed in one cell. Water was constantly leaking. We could not sleep and and even abstract away from this monotonous noise. We lodge an application asking to fix the tap or move us to another cell. Kontush and Sinyak were transferred. But I was left there to serve the remaining day in torture-like conditions,” Maksim Vinyarski says.

He is going to file a claim against the illegal arrest to the prosecutor's office.