New Year "Shooting" of Minsk Dweller: Who Tells the Truth?

The shooting incident on the New Year's Eve in Minsk became the hottest news in the first days of 2017 year.

That scandal became another reason to think about relations between those who should protect the citizens and the citizens themselves.

These relations are not as bright as they could seem and it has been specified, so to say, historically. And they certainly do not promote any growth of credit between parties, Salidarnasts writes.

Sergeant S. responded to a too loud company that celebrated the New Year. Later, according to the MVD version, the landlord suddenly started fighting with the officer and even tried to seize his weapon. The sergeant "made a warning shot to the side and then two shots in the violator to cause a minor damage." As a result, the tenant is in critical but stable condition: two gunshot wounds in the chest and in the leg.

The police version was, to put it mildly, accepted not by everyone.

Scepticism in relation to statements of law enforcement bodies, unfortunately, is based on a rich practice. There are enough cases when police officers bore doubtful or even controversial witness. The story about philosopher Uladzimir Matskevich, who was tried on the basis of words of the police for participation in an unauthorized rally of entrepreneurs in Minsk February 15, 2016, although he was in Warsaw then.

It is possible that the Christmas story was as that reported by the Interior Ministry. In the end, not all policemen are liars. But those fair ones are blackmailed as well. It is hard to find the truth now.

Meanwhile, there is a very simple way to stimulate the credibility growth to the police - to equip them with video recorders. If sergeant S. had had it, it would have been possible to find a guilty one in the incident.

It is required to buy video recorders not only to convince suspicious Internet users. It is enough for bad practice when people are condemned under mere allegations of people in the uniform. Under the Constitution all Belarusians are equal regardless of their place of work. Therefore, if there is a recorded video then welcome to court. And if it is a no, let it be so.

Actually, a decision to purchase video recorders for Minsk police was taken about a year ago. But it is not being implemented as we can see. Therefore, when the patrol shoots to kill, many people raise doubts about an official version.