Investigator who shot himself dead framed up Alyaksei Shydlouski’s case

Investigator Vasily Papin was not only responsible for the “Human shield” case. In 1997 he was in charge of the case of the young leader Alyaksei Shydlouski.

As we have informed, recently Vasily Papin worked in Minsk regional prosecutor’s office and was in charge of the famous “human shield” case initiated after traffic policemen placed a shield of private cars with people against a drunken driver. Yesterday it has become known that the investigator shot himself dead in his office from a government-issued gun.

This report was confirmed by Minsk regional prosecutor’s office where Papin worked. They told that it happened about two months ago. The reasons for the action of their colleague are not commented by his collegues.

However, the Charter’’97 press-centre has found out that Vasily Papin started his career in Staubtsy regional prosecutor’s office and was in charge of the case of the young activist Alyaksei Shydlouski who was sentenced to a year and a half of imprisonment for political graffiti.

“Vasily Papin was in charge, or to say more exactly, framed-up my criminal case in 1997 connected to political graffiti. I and Vadzim Labkovich were sentenced to different terms by Minsk regional court. And Vasily Papin at that moment was investigator of Staubtsy regional prosecutor’s office. He was promoted for my case exactly and appeared in Minsk. He wasn’t even concealing that during the investigation. He said he was working on order. To my mind, he didn’t have any moral principles. Many dwellers of Staubsty, our common native town, were of the same opinion. And still it is an interesting fact: 10 years have passed after that trial, and neither judge Laurou nor investigator Papin are alive. I do not know only the fate of prosecutor Tsimafeeu,” Alyaksei Shydlouski said to the Charter’97 press-centre.

The youth leader was to seek political asylum in the Czech Republic this year because of constant persecution on political reasons in Belarus.