Hary Pahaniajla: There is mutual protection among police, KGB and prosecutor’s office

In the case of unlawfulness of the employees of enforcing agencies, citizens should only hope an count on themselves.

This is how the head of the legal department of Belarusian Helsinki Committee (BHK) Hary Pahaniajla commented for charter97.org web-site the on the published facts about tortures at a police department in Lida.

“This is not the first case when public finds out about the severest law and human rights violations. The employees of enforcing agencies very often beat and torture the detained or arrested. The worst thing is that neither a prosecutor’s office, nor the security service of the Ministry of Internal Affairs do anything in order to stop such incidents and give them a correct legal appraisal”, - the human rights activist noted.

Hary Pahaniajla added that it is exactly impunity that leads to cruelty and criminal activities on the part of police.

“I grew up in an orphanage and I stick to the principle “treat hooligans as a hooligan”. I would find a way to punish them fairly.

Unfortunately, there is no legal concept of tortures in Belarus, but only the responsibility for power abuse. But among police, KGB and prosecutor’s office there is mutual protection. That is why those, who act unlawfully, cover for each other and evil remains unpunished”, - the lawyer concluded.

We would remind that today the testimonials of beatings in Lida’s police department were published.