In Grodno they have begun to put the handcuffs on.
The all-republican holidays Dembel 99 (dedicated to the termination of 5-years term of the board of A. Lukashenko) have not begun yet, and in Grodno arrests have already begun. And the arrests are accompanied by the withdrawal of things, putting of the handcuffs on and certainly by using of methods of battle Sambo by the employees of militia on the citizens.
19.07.99 at 19.30 in Grodno (in the yard of house 42a, street Boulevard of Leninsky Komsomol) Victor Podchinenkov, back a member of the Free Trade union Belorussky was determined by the investigator of Leninsky DDIA of Grodno, by the senior lieutenant of militia and by not established foreman of militia because he distributed the leaflets of the following contents:
Dear citizens of Grodno. From 20.07.99 in the Republic of Belarus mass holidays concerning the termination of the 5-year term of board of the first president of the Republic of Belarus Dembel 99 start. The happy citizens will have a good time in central parks and squares alone and with families and to see A. Lukashenko off. The Grodno businessmen, the Free trade unions and the United Civil Party have decided to support the initiative the population and to arrange a celebratory day off 21.07.99. it is planned that the markets of Grodno will not work this day.
The notice: in some countries, such holidays were finished by the change of the authority.21.07.99 the markets will not work. With holiday you, dear friends! The holidays start at 16.00 in all cities of the Republic of Belarus. The basic holidays will be organized in Minsk 21.07.99, in the center at 16.00. Each citizen should not only himself express the pleasure, but also ask his acquaintances and relatives to do this. Imagine for a minute tens, hundred of thousands happy faces. The heads of the state and militia are invited to take part in the holidays. In honor of the holiday in Grodno near the Puppet theater 21.07.99 after 16.00 he free of charge distribution of balls and sweets is planned. In Grodno the holiday will take place in the district of Lenin square after 16.00 (21.07.99).
Notice: the sanction of the authorities to express the pleasure is not necessary.
The militiamen acted on a standard scheme - greeted with Vitya, have seized him by hair, "to break his hands off" of an arm and put the handcuffs on. For the greater efficiency they beat him in the area of an groin by a leg, brought him in DDIA, took the leaflets away. The naive man who was arrested tried to quote the Constitution of the Republic of Belarus in old and new edition to the militiamen. But on our militiamen are not influenced by the Constitution.
As Podchinenkov did not resisted when he was arrested and listened even illegal requirements of the militiamen, the applying of physical force and handcuffs to him is called most likely because he had mentioned the Constitution of the Republic of Belarus. Such reminding (about the Constitution) in Grodno is considered to be a severe offence.
Valery Levonevsky
