Blind man beaten by police in Minsk metro is examined in mental hospital

The blind man detained by policemen at the metro station Uruchcha is in mental hospital now. His arrest evoked a wide response in the Internet. Zmitser Arstyomau is accused of resistance to the police and a criminal case has been started against him. The police are waiting for the results of his mental health check-up now, press officer of Minsk affiliate of the Investigation Commentate announced. The date of the trial and the possible sentence will be announced after the expertise.

Blind Zmitser Artsyomau was rudely detained by the police for disobedience at the metro station Uruchcha on September 18. The man was manacled and dragged down the staircase by the legs. Passers-by filmed the process. Zmitser bit one of the policemen and hit another one in the face, the policemen said later. “The policemen acted according to the existing norms and did not abuse power”, Minister of Internal Affairs Ihar Shunevich announced. The man had previous convictions for hooliganism and thefts. He also ‘won over 1.3 billion Belarusian roubles is casinos form December 13 until September 2015’.