Belarusian police detain and beat teenagers, injure 5-year-old

Unprecedented brutality against peaceful protesters opposing the falsified presidential election giving dictator Lukashenka an implausible victory are ongoing in Belarus for the fifth day in a row. Mass protests across the country started just after the election on 9 August. Law enforcers detain and beat people on the streets. As of 13 August, according to official information, 6,700 people were detained across the country. But Belarusian human rights activists claim that the real number is much higher. Law enforcers attack not only adults who consciously protest against Lukashenka’s dictatorship, but those who happened to be just passing by. Among these were teenagers; even a 5-year old girl was injured by law enforcers. Intex-Press told the story of the underaged who were detained in Baranovychi on 10 August. On 12 August, it was rumored they will be released.

The media described that on the day the territory around the pre-trial detention center was crowded. People were waiting for their recently detained relatives. The faces of some women were swollen from tears. Intex-Press retells parts of conversations.

“For a long time, I was not told where my child was.” “I was sent in a circle in different instances until the morning.” “My husband was driving to take me from work, he was taken from his car. I found out where he is, it’s unknown what is with his car.”

• Read also: Jailed for 15 days for exposing Lukashenka’s rigged elections: the story of Marta, one of 150 arrested observers

Law enforcers kidnapped Elena’s 13-year old son when he was leaving a bus. The mother says he was beaten then. Another teenager, 15-year old Danyl, told that he was detained when going home through a park. The policemen came to him and took him “to talk.” Danyl says he answered that he was going home and suggested looking at his phone calls to prove to them that he was just letting his mother know that he was going home. Then some people in uniform came, wrung his hands, and put him to the paddy wagon. While doing it they beat him with a club. His mother Olga said that she found out where her son was only in the morning of the next day. Danyl described that other guys suffered more than him. The released teenagers told that the law enforcers created a live corridor to beat those who were passing through it.

Matvey, under 18, who also was released told his mom that he was fine, but his shirt was in bloodstains.

There were bruises on his face and he was limping. His mom also revealed two marks from blows by a club. Another heartbreaking story, in which a 5-year-old girl was injured, happened to the Cheriavko family in Hrodno. It was described by currenttime.tv. Vitaliy Cheriavko was taking his wife and a 5-year old daughter Yuliya from one side of the city to another. On one of the streets, the traffic slowed down as the protests started there. Some cars were signaling in support, but not Cheriavko. Suddenly 5-6 people in black uniform ran out of a dark car and started punching on the windows of the neighboring cars. Being afraid for his family, Vladimir drove into the oncoming lane. The law enforcers hit the windshield of his car with a truncheon, it burst, fragments fell into the cabin. At that moment, an armored car of the law enforcers crashed into the side of Cheriavko's car. Vladimir left the car but was beaten on his head and was seriously injured. He told that there was a child in his car, but they did not listening. The man was detained and interrogated for the whole night and then released. A man who was standing near took the mom and her daughter to the hospital. The girl had head trauma and facial cuts.

“Mom, I don’t want to die,” Currenttime quotes the girl from the words of her mother.

Nasha Niva, quoting the men who took the women and the girl to the hospital, wrote that law enforcers told the victims “it's your own fault”. According to official data, more than 250 people with various injuries were admitted to hospitals.