Teenager Beaten By Riot Policeman Gets Two Years Of Liberty Limitation

The public prosecutor demanded such punishment for Aliaksandr Kharuta.

On November 1, the Central district court of Minsk made the sentence to Aliaksandr Kharuta, who was charged with beating a riot policeman. The 17-year-old teenager was sentenced to 2 years of liberty limitation without sending to a specialized facility, Radio Liberty informs.

Such punishment was demanded by the public prosecutor yesterday. The maximum term which the youngster faced under Article 364 of the Criminal Code (violence or threats thereof with respect to an officer of the interior bodies) is 6 years of imprisonment.

The teenager’s mother appealed to free her son from criminal responsibility in compliance with Article 118 of the Criminal Code (Releasing a minor from criminal responsibility).

The liberty limitation prescribes that the youngster should return home right after classes, he cannot attend entertaining events, go abroad, switch off his mobile (they can call him anytime to find out his whereabouts).

We remind, in the evening on July 18, 17-year-old Aliaksandr Kharuta and his 16-year-old friend had 300 grams of vodka at the shore of the Drazdy artificial lake. Riot policemen called to them, but the youngsters decided to run away. The teenagers were put in a prison transportation vehicle for a delivery to the Central district police department, so that the police would make charges against them. According to Aliaksandr, he suddenly felt bad in the specialized vehicle, he had a grey-veil and his heart stabbed. He stood up, the vehicle shook up, and the guy fell on one of the riot policemen. He pushed the teenager away, Aliaksandr started retreating in his friend’s direction, and the latter rose up to prevent him from falling down. According to the youngsters, the police considered such actions as an attempt to resist.

The now-former riot policeman Aleh Sharko had a different version to tell. He said at the trial that, at the moment of the blow, Aliaksandr Kharuta shouted “Drop the cops dead!” He says the vehicle was going smoothly with no turns when the accused stood up.

— He hit me in the upper lip with his right fist. In the morning, I recorded the injuries and filed a complaint against him.

The teenager only asked for forgiveness in his summarizing speech:

— I am sorry, I was under the influence of alcohol.

Judge <>bValer Yesman, who used to be in the list of persons banned from entering the EU countries and the United States due to his participation in repressions against the civil society of Belarus, made the sentence.