Reality in Lida: Relaxing strikes and stream of invective

Officers of a police department in Lida still hope to find excuses for cruel treatment of detainees.

The court of the Lida district holds a new trial over the administrative case against Bahdan Shkurko, who was beaten by policemen on the night of November 17/18.

He was found guilty of committing an administrative offence two months ago. The Lida district court issued him a fine of 2.5 million rubles. He was charged with “disorderly conduct” and “disobeying police officers”.

On February 4, 2013, the Hrodna region court revoked the court decision and sent the case back for re-examination, Platform human rights organisation reports.

The case took a strange turn.

Police officers now try to lay guilt on minor security guards of the club, who, they claim, threw the brothers out of the building. The policemen then used pepper gas and batons. The policemen said at the first court hearing they had used “relaxing strike” (either trying to relax the unconscious young men or relaxing themselves). At a new trial, they said they had used only gas and handcuffs.

The trial sometimes put the judge into an awkward position. For example, senior sergeant Strok, on whose report a case against Ivan Shurko had been initiated, lost his temper and shouted “Why are you f*** pressing on him?” in response to the lawyer's question to a witness.

This unexpected remark embarrassed everyone, even the judge. Bahdan Shkurko's lawyer was the first to find his tongue. He asked to place the sergeant's words on record.

The next trial in the case against Bahdan Shkurko is scheduled for Tuesday April 9.