In Belarus people are forced to witness (Document)

In a document uploaded on the website ucpb.org Dzianis Bystryk tells how the Belarusian special services forced him to witness against the anarchist presently held political prisoners.

In the document verified by a lawyer, Dzianis Bystryk insists that during the entire investigation he was testifying under pressure, and that he revokes his testimony. Nevertheless, the document went “unnoticed” by the court, and the verdict was based on the testimonies forced from the witnesses previously.

On 30 September 2010 people from the Chief Department on Organized Crime (CDOC) and KGB burst into the apartment that Dzianis Bystryk rented together with Igar Alinievich. After the apartment was searched and some possessions were withdrawn, Dzianis was taken to the CDOC in Revaliutsyinaya Street, where the interrogation began.

KGB people warned Dzianis that his telephone had been bugged, and told him about a recent conversation with his brother. After that he was questioned about the arson of a vehicle on the territory of Russia’s Embassy. The interrogation was not recorded. Dzianis didn’t have a chance to get a lawyer.

A CDOC employee Litsvinski threatened Dzianis Bystryk with a long prison term in case he would not testify. After the interrogation, Dzianis was taken to the Tsantralny district interior department, and then to the temporary isolation jail where he spent six days. Afterwards he was released against a written pledge not to leave the country.

Two weeks after Dzianis Bystryk was summoned to the KGB, where a new round of interrogation began. This time he was asked about Igar Alianevich and was told to create his psychological portrait. Moreover, he was showed a video of an anarchists’ march and asked if he recognized anyone there.

On 17 November Dziamyanau and Sakalou from the CDOC and KGB arrived to Dzianis Bystryk’s apartment to take him back to the CDOC. There, he was demanded to confirm what Vetkin, who had previously been interrogated, told about Bystryk having been shooting the anarchists’ rally near the Embassy. If he refused, he would be taken to the jail in Valadarski Street. Litsvinski, whom Dzianis Bystryk already knew, told him that this time he “would get a real long term”. After that Dzianis had to agree to testify.

From the CDOC building Bystryk was once again sent to the temporary isolation jail. In two days he was demanded to tell where Alinievich was. When Bystryk said that he knew nothing of that, he was told to find out from his friend Charnyshova since, according to the investigators, she could know where Alinievich was. They threatened with a new imprisonment if Bystryk refused to cooperate.

After Alinievich was arrested, the investigators organized a confrontation between the two detained having instructed Dzianis what to tell in advance.

In the document, Dzianis Bystryk points out that the testimony given during the preliminary investigation and the confrontation with Alinievich were false and that when he testified he was threatened with of moral and physiological pressure. He also stresses that he couldn’t see that the investigation had any direct evidence against Igar Alinievich, and that is why they forced him to give false testimony.

On 14 December 2010 Dzianis Bystryk left Belarus after having been threatened by the KGB to force him take part in the shooting of the propaganda film “Anarchy. Direct Action” which was later showed on the Belarusian television.