Thread by @j_pedneault

THREAD - New @hrw report on #Belarus: From August 20 to 29, @TanyaLokshina and I interviewed 27 people arrested following the August 9 election and held in 11 different detention facilities in Minsk, Hrodna and Homel. Here are our findings: hrw.org/news/2020/09/1…

While a fraction of the 7000+ cases of people arrested, the stories we collected were harrowingly similar. Irrespective of the facilities they were taken to, all recounted being subjected to brutal beatings, abusive detention conditions and prolonged hours in stress positions.

Here’s how the typical journey of a #Belarus detainee unfolded: Police, riot police (OMON), and special forces (Spetznaz) usually picked them up off the streets, in some cases using extreme violence, then beat them in confined spaces in vehicles where they had trouble breathing.

Then they took them to police precincts and other detention facilities where police and OMON kicked, punched, and beat them with truncheons, forced them to stand, kneel, or lie in stress positions for hours, then held them for days in overcrowded cells.

During this period, #Belarus security forces often denied detainees food and water and denied their requests to go to the toilet. All of our interviewees said they saw dozens of others subjected to similar or worse treatment.

Two of the men we met said police shocked them with an electroshock weapon and saw other detainees stunned with similar weapons. Four had bone fractures due to police abuse. One was raped with a truncheon when refusing to provide his cellphone password: hrw.org/news/2020/09/1…

The aim of the abuse appeared to be to punish and humiliate. Most reported that security forces singled out detainees with so-called “atypical” looks, such as men with long or dyed hair, and people with dreadlocks, piercings, or tattoos, for worse treatment and more insults.

Detainees were also often denied medical attention. They said that police and guards confiscated detainees’ medications, frequently ignored calls for medical care.

All of those interviewed said they were denied access to a lawyer. Those taken before a judge said the proceedings lasted only a few minutes and ended with short arrest sentences for administrative offenses.

Police and detention center officials failed to keep track of the thousands of people arrested, and detainees’ family members said they struggled, in many cases for days, to find out where their relatives were or what happened to them.

All said that when released, they had to sign a document promising not to participate in “unsanctioned assemblies,” and were given a written warning of criminal charges if they did.

The abuses we documented are shocking examples of the brutality of Lukashenko’s rule. International monitoring could help prevent more of the same. @UN_HRC and @OSCE should promptly open inquiries. hrw.org/news/2020/09/0…