Maxim Vinyarski: “In police department’s corridor riot policeman hit a girl several times”

An activist of the civil campaign “European Belarus” Maxim Vinyarski was detained with other participants of the peaceful rally dedicated to the memory of disappeared politicians.

“With other protesters I walked from October Square in the direction of Victory Square,” he told in an interview to the Charter’97 press-centre about his detention. “About 10 riot policemen in mufti were marching near us. Halfway between the squares they tried to detain me. But people started to shout, and they retreated. However soon a green minibus arrived and a few more riot policemen appeared. They started to “pack” us. We were “piled up” into the minibus in the proper sense of the word. I was put between two armchairs, and two more persons were placed above me. We were stacked up in one mass. We were taken to the police department of Tsentralny district of Minsk. During transportation riot policemen were threatening us, shouting: “Hide your head!” “Don’t talk!” We were taken to the assembly hall one by one, and a mobile phone of each of us was seized. After I asked why they needed my phone, they twisted my arms, and seized my phone by force”.

As said by Vinyarski, the detained opposition activists were beaten up.

“In a corridor a riot policeman hit a girl several times. He tore her jacket and “rubbed” against the wall. Each of us was warned about responsibility for participation in some unsanctioned rallies on May 8-10. We were prohibited to talk and even look around, that is why I saw only 20 detainees. But as other people told, there were much more of them”.