Khvedaruk faces both jail and army service, Shyla continues hunger strike in rocket unit (Photo, updated)

29.01.2009, 9:06

Cynicism of policemen and officers of the military enlistment office, who violated all laws yesterday and arrested the youth leaders, surpassed all expectations.

As deputy head of the Belarusian Poplar Front Vintsuk Vyachorka said, his son Franak had been detained by people in mufti, beaten and, handcuffed, guarded to the radio-technical brigade in Baranavichy. Franak managed to tell this to his father on the phone yesterday evening.

Activist of the “Young Front” Zmitser Khvedaruk was arrested yesterday evening too. He was guarded to a military enlistment office and then to a police department. Today the activist has been taken from the prison in Akrestsin Street to the medial commission to take him into the army after that.

Ivan Shyla, one of the leaders of the “Young Front”, was detained in his flat in Salihorsk and guarded to a conscription centre in Minsk. Ivan went on hunger strike.

“Franak was given a uniform and taken away his civilian clothes. He supposed he had been attacked by the same people who had arrested him on January 8 and 16 with the same officer at the head. He was beaten. They were hitting his head and face... he was beaten in the military enlistment office. He was handcuffed. Handcuffed, he was guarded to the army unit. I said he should write a complaint to a military prosecutor in the connection of beating. Bu the he is not given paper and a pen,” Vintsuk Vyachorka told in an interview to Radio Svaboda.

Franak Vyachorka had 10 days to appeal against the court decision. He appealed against actions of military officers and military doctors. On January 16, he was forcefully detained in a military hospital ward, where he underwent medical examination, and taken to the military enlistment office.

He was informed there he would be taken to the military unit in two hours, but he said he needed some time to appeal against the court decision. The trial was held in absentia, Franak’s lawyer wasn’t informed about the date of the trial.

The guy had a determent due to eye surgery and problems with health.

Franak Vyachorka is the first activist of the youth democratic movement, guarded to the military unit in handcuffs.

Activist of the “Young Front” Zmitser Khvedaruk was detained in his flat in Minsk. Zmitser’s friend, taking video of the detention, was beaten up by people in mufti, his camera was broken. Zmitser was taken to a military enlistment office, though he is a full time student of Biblical Theological college and has a determent.

After that, policemen guarded the guy from the military enlistment office to the Pershamaiski district police department. He was said he must be arrested for 10 days. Last year, Zmitser was detained for celebration of expansion of the European Union on May 1. Many oppositionists were arrested, but Khvedaruk was set free and tried in absentia for participation in an authorized street action.

At 11.00 p.m., Khvedaruk was guarded to the special detention facility on Akrestsin Street for a 10-day arrest. Today Zmitser Khvedaruk has been taken from the detention centre into the policlinic No. 14 in Minsk to pass analysis necessary for a medical commission in the military enlistment office.

The young guy was in the hospital since morning. Near the doctor's consulting room KGB officers were standing. They were not allowing anyone there except doctors. After examination doctors gave the young man a conclusion that he is fit for military service.

Ivan Shyla was detained at home and guarded to a military enlistment office. He was said he would stand before the drafting board and then taken to a conscription centre in Minsk.

“I will be in Minsk today. I will be sent to a military unit. I’d like to notice that the medical commission hasn’t made a final conclusion, I haven’t given all analyses,” Shyla said.

The commission found Ivan fit for military service yesterday and after 9.00 p.m. the activist was taken to Minsk to the regional enlistment office on Fabrytsyus Street.

Ivan went on hunger strike until his complaint on actions of military officers and military doctors, who, according to Ivan, obeyed the people in mufti, is not considered. Ivan appealed against them more than a week ago.

Today in the afternoon Ivan Shyla was taken to the village of Mezhytsy, Lepel district Vitsebsk region for serving in the 29th air defence missile brigade. The former chairman of “Moladz BNF” Ales Kalita is serving there too.

Detention of "Young Front" leader Ivan Shyla: