The Investigative Committee of Belarus refused to initiate a criminal case in connection with the statements of citizens about the illegal actions of employees of the internal affairs bodies – their detention in places of mass disorder, placement in isolation cells and detention there.

“The collected evidence, including video recordings of the Ministry of Internal Affairs, allows us to state the use of physical force and special means by employees in the suppression of offenses in accordance with the requirements of the Law“ On Internal Affairs Bodies ”and other regulatory legal acts of the Republic of Belarus. in the initiation of a criminal case, “- said in a statement by the investigative department on Thursday.

The IC believes that the means and methods chosen by law enforcement officers “were proportionate, were used with the intention of causing the least harm in the current situation.”

“The statements circulated by individual, later recognized by extremist Telegram channels about alleged abuse of office, expressed in torture, sexual abuse, have not been objectively confirmed, including from the explanations of the applicants themselves,” the committee said.

According to the department, more than 2 thousand detainees were delivered to the center for isolation of offenders (CIP) and the temporary detention center (IVS) in the period from August 9 to 15, 2020, while the number of employees of the CIP and IVS was about 50 people.

“Out of the total number of detainees, 680 people applied to conduct an inspection on the facts of allegedly unlawful actions on the part of employees of the internal affairs bodies,” the Investigative Committee noted. They clarified that the overwhelming majority of applicants are citizens under the age of 30, unemployed, individual entrepreneurs and students. Some of them were previously brought to administrative and criminal liability, including for violent crimes, the investigation informed.

Violation of law and order

In addition, the Investigative Committee informed, during the inspection, dozens of persons were identified who “deliberately and deliberately violated public order, creating all conditions for the use of physical force and special equipment by employees.” “The purpose of such actions is the subsequent departure for permanent residence in the EU countries after filing an application. The documented fact of the appeal was used as a fictitious tool to obtain” political asylum “in other countries,” the republic’s IC said.

The department also added that many of the detainees were taken to the police station and the temporary detention center with bodily injuries received in places where unauthorized mass events and riots were held. “To all persons in need of medical care, it was provided by ambulance [aid] teams, as well as by doctors of the Central Inspectorate and the IVS of the Main Internal Affairs Directorate of the Minsk City Executive Committee,” the Investigative Committee of Belarus says.