Student from Germany: Belarusian riot militia go berserk at solidarity rallies

Belarusian Inha Abramava studied in Germany, but came to Minsk for a rally of solidarity on October 16. The girl sent www.charter97.org her impressions of the arrest.

The evidence of the student perfectly suits the situation, because deputy interior minister of Belarus Yauheny Paludzen has recently told that the Minsk riot militia learnt how to prevent unauthorized rallies during its training in Germany. Here is the letter of Inha Abramava:

“Minsk, October 16. A peaceful rally is held on October square. They Day of Solidarity with political prisoners and families of missing citizens of Belarus. I haven’t taken part in rallies and demonstrations in my native country for 18 months, but I’ve read a lot about rapprochement with the European Union. Having returned to Belarus on holidays, I decided to take part in the rally.

My friends and I have only bitter experience of participation in such events in Belarus. Going for a picket of solidarity in Germany you are not afraid of being arrested and beaten. It’s very simple there. You just need to make a phone call to police, come at the time appointed, explain the aim of the picket and say where you are going to hold it (I chose the city center, close to the City Hall). Policemen listened to me carefully and gave a permit. When I wanted to carry out other pickets, I even didn’t need to go anywhere. When I phoned the police, I heard: “Ah, Frau Abramava! We remember you, we’ll send you a permit by fax”. It is very simple, without any extreme.

I am on October square in Minsk. The action begins at 6:00 p.m. It’s cold, a quarter to five, I go to a cafe, from where I can see the square. Surprised, I notice that it wasn’t only I, who came so early. Some pairs of militiamen are walking at the square, a traffic police car stands nearby, some minibuses with tinted windows parked bear the cafe. Later, some buses drive to the square. I leave my “observing station” at 5:45. I saw many people with cameras, many men in mufti with radio sets and many militiamen. I feel uncomfortable, I am alone. I am looking for familiar faces, come to a group of youth and hear “Join us!” I’m not alone anymore.

We form a human chain at 6:00. I am going to get out a white-red-white flag I borrowed from a friend. But I am given a portrait of political prisoner. Standing. Militiamen offered to disperse through a megaphone. They say we allegedly violate the law – standard phrases. We take one another by the arm. The reaction is rapid: a bus is driving from behind, I hear the scrambler of feet, someone’s strong arms snatch me from the chain and drag to the bus.

I try to resists, but there are three men against me. I am not so strong. For my attempts to defend myself I get some blows on my legs. Dragged me to the bus, brave riot militiamen push me forward, I fall on the bus steps and hurt my knees. I receive help – they throw me up a bit higher and I land on the floor. It was very quick – we formed a human chain and in two minutes it was finished.

I come round and take a seat. I though “I don’t want to go to a detention center, it’s cold and dirty there, but С’ est la vie. The bus was soon full. Usually, I use subway in Minsk, but this time I had a free site tour. I and my neighbour talk that it’s not a tight paddy wagon without windows and light. A young man in mufti boasts he has recently graduated from military academy and knows how to behave towards us. He asked me: “Where do you study?” – “Nowhere,” I answer. – “Nowhere already!” he laughed.

We have driven to the Tsentralny district militia department and got out of the bus. We are guarded to a corridor, forced to stand facing a wall with our hands up. We are forbidden to ring up and talk. The fresh riot militiaman beats a guy, makes him stand astride, the guy almost make a split. He was apparently eager to use his knowledge in practice.

We are guarded to a cabinet one by one. It looks like a classroom – desks, a blackboard. The detained people take seats. I am said to take the first desk. Our things and phones are taken away. Our personal data are collected, we are guarded to the corridor. “Face the wall, hands behind the head, don’t talk!” A conveyor system. We are not explained why we were detained. Many of us have already been fingerprinted, but are not allowed to wash their hands. Why? They have power, strength, they decide everything.

Anatol Lyabedzka is being dragged to a tiny ward. Pasha follows him, tries to defend him. His attempt fails, then he shouts “Guys!” We run to him, but we are pushed away. One guy is being beaten, very cruelly. Another boy is guarded somewhere. We don’t know where to. We sit down on the floor, not all, only three girls and two guys. We will not stand facing the wall with our hands up, we are protesting, we are not armed terrorists, we are not dangerous. Why have we been detained in such a rude way without any explanations? We mustn’t stand, we will sit.

A militiaman shouts at us, makes us stand up and says: “Well, girls, you won’t come home today”. We sit. An hour has passed, it’s very cold to sit on the floor, but it doesn’t sticks there. When you stand, you feel awful smell. Why?

Officers of the militia department have got tired of sitting, an angry man comes up to us and strikes us on legs. It’s painful, cold, we stand up. Three or four hours have passed since we were detained. We are freed, our belongings and passports are returned to us. Everyone – 22 people – was released.

At parting, a militiaman with sad expressionless eyes tells me: “You MUSTN’T gather on October square!” Puzzled, I ask: “Can we gather on Yakub Kolas square?” “No, you can’t.” “Where can we gather?” “You can’t gather ANYWHERE!”

People wait us in the street, I remember about the flag in my pocket and unfurl it. I didn’t have time to do it on the square, but I can do it now. Everything has finished. People have gone, I am alone again, as before. I planned to go to Polatsk to a military oath in the evening, but my train is already departing. I decided to go to Brest. I am tired, I have leg- and backache.

Even now, I can’t understand why the peaceful picket was dispersed. People just stand with portraits, don’t shout anything, don’t call to anything, don’t impede traffic, don’t litter. Why are the authorities so afraid of them and throw more than a hundred fierce riot militiamen armed with clubs against less than 50 peaceful citizens? For what? We live in the center of Europe, in a civilized state, in a country with “established democracy”!