Mikalai Kazlou: Training of Belarusian policemen leads to repression

Belarusian law enforcement agencies learn only the things they need to strengthen the dictatorship from cooperation with international institutions, a retired police lieutenant colonel thinks.

“They need to cooperate with the Belarusian law enforcement agencies as with the bodies that don't quite understand international law, human rights and things like that. The cooperation should begin with informing our Interior Ministry about these fundamental values and then move further having convinced that they understand the concept and fulfil the requirements,” Mikalai Kazlou, a member of the United Civil Party (UCP) and retired police lieutenant colonel, said in an interview with charter97.org.

The expert says the experience acquired by the Belarusian law enforcement agencies in the West is often used against the opposition:

“The format of cooperation with the Belarusian Interior Ministry should be changed. Crime is an international matter that require sharing experiences in some spheres. At the same time, we need to be careful, because we know the examples when all these things are used against the opposition.”  

Cooperation with the Belarusian police should have a selective character, Mikalai Kazlou is confident:

“The European Union should understand that we have a perverted vision of many things. We focus on repressions, not on law. It should be taken into account.”

The EU Delegation to Belarus recently said about cooperation between the European Union and law enforcement agencies of the Eastern Partnership countries.

“Trust in law enforcement agencies is one of the cornerstones needed to build a sustainable democracy and we believe that cooperation in the police services can greatly enhance law and order in the countries of our Eastern neighbours," Commissioner for Enlargement and the European Neighbourhood Policy Štefan Füle said.