Aliaksandr Atroshchankau tries to get back his belongings stolen by militia

Democratic activist Aliaksandr Atroshchankau appealed to Central District Internal Affairs Department of Minsk and Prosecutor’s Office of Central District of Minsk with the demand to get back the belongings, confiscated during the unlawful search ahead of the European March, and appraise the unlawful actions of the militiamen from the juridical point of view.

Democratic activist Aliaksandr Atroshchankau was arrested in Minsk 9 October. The militiamen burst into his flat on the first floor through a window (!) and searched it. The office equipment, including a computer, informational materials for the European March, EU flags and plaster Belarusian national court-of-arms “Pahonia” were confiscated.

As Aliaksandr Atroshchankau said to Charter’97 press center the burst into the apartment militiamen said they had got an anonymous telephone call saying there was a dead body in the apartment. Nevertheless the militiamen were interested only in the computers.

The apartment was searched for three hours. Aliaksandr Atroshchankau’s wife Darya wasn’t allowed either to enter the apartment or to pass warm clothes to Aliaksandr.

When searching, the militiamen turned the flat upside down. Sofa upholstery was cut, gas stove was broken.

Next day after search, the activist was sentenced to 10 days of arrest. The militiamen, unlawfully penetrated into the apartment, gave “evidence” the detainee was allegedly “using obscene language”.

“I pointed out in the complain that the militiamen burst into my flat unlawfully, practically stolen my belongings. There are no other words for that, as they didn’t give any document confirming the confiscating of the belongings. I demand to appraise their actions from the juridical point of view and give me back the stolen things. I also pointed out that the militiamen damaged furniture, cut sofa upholster, broke gas stove when searching…”, - Aliaksandr Atroshchankau told to Charter’97 press center.

On photos: this is how Atroshchankau’s apartment looked after militia search