Criminal case opened for hazing in military unit near Lepel

Facts of bullying and harassment among servicemen have been elicited in Zaslonava military installation near Lepel.

A criminal case on charges relating Article 443 of the Criminal Code of Belarus has been initiated.

“After the guilt of concrete servicemen is found, they are to be brought to responsibility,” BelTA was told by the spokesperson of the Main directorate of the ideology work of the Defence Ministry Uladzimir Makarau.

He stressed that the detected acts of military hazing had not resulted in grave consequences, no one had been hospitalized.

For violation of the rules of relations between servicemen under the army regulations, the Criminal Code prescribes a punishment of the deprivation of liberty for up to 12 years.

It should be noted that recently several fatal accidents have taken place in the Belarusian army. Thus, on June 8, 2014 a member of the special unit from Maryina Horka died of electric shock. On August 2, 2014 another soldier in a military unit in Pechy near Minsk suddenly died of meningitis. On September 12, 2014 a conscript soldier died of an acute heart failure and coronary heart disease in one of the military units of Barysau.

In March 2015 two conscript soldiers, in Pechy and in Hrodna border troops group, committed suicide.

No one was called to account for the fatal accidents and causing soldiers to commit suicide.