Zmitser Barodka: “I do not want my children to live in a country like that”

19.10.2009, 11:39

“European Belarus” coordinator had been arrested and beaten up at all rallies of solidarity, but he continues to go to the square.

On October 16 Zmitser Barodka was arrested with 22 other participants of the solidarity rally at October Square. Today the politician answers the questions of www.charter97.org website.

- Zmitser, how was your detention happening? Journalists were block by stopped policemen in mufti, and we could not see almost anything…

- It was done accruing with the well-known scenario. Dozens of riot policemen stood in front of people with portraits of political prisoners, and after that they were given an order “Work!”, and they started to seize us. They knocked us to the ground, and started to push us in the paddy wagons that arrived. It is a usual practice: while the detained are transported to the police department, they are beaten by policemen and undergo humiliating treatment. At least three persons were beaten up before my eyes. The United Civil Party leader Anatol Lyabedzka was beaten up, stifle, punched in the face, and he started bleeding.

Out of 22 detained during the rally, 11 were “European Belarus” civil campaign activists. When we were taken to the police department, riot policemen left, and we remained there with policemen, in the police department we were made to stand our face to the wall, with hands raised. We stood like this for three hours without moving. It is hard both morally and physically. This practice with is considered torture according to international standards, took place on September 9 as well.

An incident with Lyabedzka took place in the police department again. He tried to find out the names of the policemen who insulted the detained, and in response an armlock was put on him, and he was forcibly taken to a separate room, the so-called “bomzhatnik” (hellhole, a room for cardboard dwellers). It certainly caused indignation of our activists, and many of them sat on the floor protesting against that and ignored barks of policemen.

- You have taken part in the three latest rallies of opposition on September 9, 16 and October 16. All these rallies were brutally disbanded, you were arrested for three times. Is it right to say that the regime has chosen the tactics of stepping up repressions against the dissenters?

- Undoubtedly. At the three latest rallies peaceful protesters were mercilessly beaten up, there was humiliating treatment of the detainees observed. Riot policemen have started to behave much more insolently and cruelly. “Novelties” have appeared: a torture of standing for many hours in the police departments, as I have said before. Blocking the work of journalists in order to prevent them from picturing the total lawlessness at the scene. I know that previously it was also hard for journalists to work at oppositional rallies, but now it is happening in a much more impudent way – journalists are not given a chance to record anything at all! The regime does not want testimony of persecution to exist. Photo and video reports showing the truth about what is going on in Belarus, debase the image of the authorities, which is trying to put on democratic disguise and demonstrate that everything is all right here, though nothing in changing in fact.

It’s a pity some politicians in Europe do not understand that. Or rather they do not want to understand that. Lukashenka’s dictatorship follows its way which had been chosen once and forever, and is not drifting away from it a bit. There is a great wish for European politicians to stand firm on what they believe and stop flirting with the dictatorship.

- Zmitser, you have three children. Don’t you have fear to go to demonstrations every time and expose yourself to clubs, and run a risk of being arrested?

- Certainly I do. I have fear that I could be separated form my children for a long time. They are still very young, and every time I want to return to them as soon as possible. And even policemen tell me: you have three children, so why are you coming here, you can be imprisoned, and you are to care after your children. I was thinking about that a lot, and then I understood. We must stage rallies, we must say the truth about the regime, we should show an example for others. But the main reason why I was attending and will continue to take part in protest rallies is that I do not want my children to live in such a country, I want them to live in a normal state, in European Belarus.