Football fan takes police to court over national colors scarf
"Barysov-Arena" police station
On the evening of August 26, 2014, BATE played at home "Slovan" from Bratislava. BATE then won 3:0 and made it to the group stage of the Champions League, but the fan Siarhei Bakhun almost did not see the game -- in the middle of the first half, he got removed from the grandstand by the police and held in the stadium-based police station until almost the end of the match.
The reason for the detention was a white and red scarf with the "Pursuit" symbol. Bakhun was kept in the police station until there came a major of the Barysau police Vyachaslau Paulavets (in August of 2014 he was still a major) and clearly declared: "Hide the scarf under the jacket, otherwise you will have problems." The policeman at the same time admitted that he had personally issued the order to "remove" Bakkhun from the grandstand -- the Pursuit, allegedly, was a non-registered symbol and thus had no place at the Champions League match. The fan decided that he wanted to return to his wife and child, and not to go to the local police station. Therefore, he hid the scarf under his jacket and went to watch the last minutes of the game.
"I want the court to recognize the illegal actions of the police officers who would then apologize. In writing," said the desperate fan.
"I am trying to forget my 25 years of the police service"
The first meeting, which took place in early February 2016, was not attended by the already Colonel Paulavets. He informed the court that he was supposedly "studying in Minsk." The case was reviewed only on 19th. This time, already four policemen arrived at the Barysau district court. Among them were the three policemen of which Bakhun demanded an apology, and another as a witness of Vyachaslau Paulavets. The trial began at 10:00, and for the first two hours the judge listened to the testimony of Bakhun and policemen Paulavets, Urbanovich and Astashka.
The two policemen said a lot of new things. For example, Uladzimir Urbanovich (it was him who removed the fan from the grandstand) suddenly stated that Bakhun did not have to follow the policeman. Allegedly, he was only offered to go to the police room, but did not have to do so. He could have stayed on the grandstand and watched the match.
Even more interesting testimony came from Pyatro Astashok. He kept Bakhun in the stadium police area for nearly an hour, waiting for the arrival of Major Paulavets. "High Court of Justice, I worked in the police force for 25 years. Now I am retired, and I really want to forget everything that happened to me over the years," said the former policeman to the judge. But Astashka still recalls something. He remembers waiting for Paulavets with Bakhun and checking the passport details of the fan against the police database. He even remembered the friend of Bakhun who went "in and out" of the police rooms. But he does not remember anything of what his boss Paulavets was talking about with Bakhun when he finally appeared in the room.
However, the most interesting statements came from the Colonel Vyachaslau Paulavets. As if forgetting his written responses, sent to Bakhun over the past year and a half, before the judge, Paulavets suddenly presented a completely new version of events. According to it, Siarhei Bakhun was not detained. He was "just had a preventive conversation with", as during the first half of the match, one of the BATE Barysau fans called Paulavets on the mobile phone and said that Bakhun was "demonstrating scarf with "Pursuit" in the sector, and it could backfire." Therefore, Vyachaslau Paulavets, being responsible for the peace and tranquility in the "Barysau-Arena", was forced to invite Bakhun for a preventive talk -- for his, Bakhun's, security. However, Paulavets had no evidence of this.
The testimony of Paulavets no longer featured the insults to national symbols (during a police inspection, the officer persistently said that Bakhun had a red and green scarf with "Pursuit" which insulted state symbols) and unregistered symbols. He also insisted that no arrest was made, and Bakhun was simply invited to speak. "I meet and talk to girls in the streets the same way. This is not a detention, right?" argued the married officer Paulavets.
"You're officers, you must not lie like that"
Then came the turn of the witnesses to speak. On the part of the police it was Aleh Krachkouski, who, along with Pyatro Astashka held Bakhun under the stands until the major's arrival. "Bakhun was alone, waiting for Paulavets. I don't recall what they spoke about," said Krachkouski to the judge. His version of events contradicts the testimony of another friend of Bakhun who was constantly by his side, only once leaving the police room for a minute. It would be hard to find out who was right for one fact. I am the witness of Siarhei Bakhun, the author of this article and a Euroradio reporter Ales Piletski. It is possible, of course, to assume that the events of that evening completely flew out of my head. But I find it very hard to do.
"You officers, how can you lie like that? Where will the respect in the society come for you, if you allow yourself this here in court? According to research, only 30% of Belarusians trust the police. Think about it... When I see that I am going to meet a policeman, I try to go to the other side of the street, not to have unnecessary problems," said Bakhun from the stand at the end of the trial. Vyachaslau Paulavets was not much affected by the Bakhun's speech -- he repeated his words about the absence of detention, calls from a BATE fan, complaint about the "Pursuit" and the absolute legality of his conduct.
To make a decision on the case, the Barysau judge needed 2.5 hours. The result: Bakhun's appeal refused, the actions of the police deemed right. "I will appeal to the regional court. Then, in the UN Human Rights Committee. Let them give explanations over and over again. You must not treat people like that," the fan commented on the court's decision.
