Worker deprived of half of salary for arguing with police

Aleh Zhaunou has to pay half of his salary for several months for an expert examination carried out during court proceedings.

The human rights activist and member of the electronics trade union from Babruisk has only a slightly more than a million rubles after the holdback.

Aleh Zhaunou, a worker of Belshyna plant, trade union activist and human rights defender, told praca-by.info how it happened.

“I was summoned to a police department by then major and now lieutenant colonel Rudzko. I came and brought dashboard cameras with me. Under law, I have the right to record conversation if they relate to me. I film all my conversation with law-enforcement officers. I do not hide it. But Rudzko used force to seize my cameras and said they might be special devices for obtaining information secretly. The police department filed a lawsuit over the requisition. The court ordered to carry our an expert examination and find out if the dashboard cameras were special technical devices. I agreed, but asked that it should be carried out by officers of the State Customs Committee or the KGB. Under law, only the State Customs Committee or the KGB can say whether something can be called a special technical device. The court, however, engaged a private firm in Minsk. The result of the examination was in favour of the police.”

Aliaksei Yauhenau, a rights inspector of the electronics trade union for the Mahilou region, thinks the rights of Aleh Zhaunou were violated several times. In particular, the cameras were seized without any preliminary procedures. The requisition of one's property is legal only in case of vital needs, for example natural disasters, threats to life and health of people, etc. The court ruled in absentia that Aleh Zhaunou must pay more than 4 million rubles for the examination.

The activist learnt about the court decision only after he received a pay slip for February. Half of Aleh's salary was held back as payment for the examination. The activist received only a slightly more than a million rubles.

Aleh Zhaunou is indignant at the actions by the law-enforcement and judicial bodies.

“Firstly, they didn't have the right to seize my dashboard cameras. Secondly, they cannot be considered to be special technical devices if we look at the definition. Special technical devices have other features. Thirdly, only the State Customs Committee or the KGB can say whether something can be called a special technical device,” Aleh Zhaunou said.

He is going to appeal against the court decision and apply to the trade union for help because he cannot live on the remaining part of his salary.