Were police provocateurs punished?
Lukashenka has found 78 cases when police officers arrested 'corrupt officials and bribers' using provocations. But former investigators and operatives say this practice of cracking crimes became a norm long time ago. During a meeting with the leadership of the country's law-enforcement agencies on June 29, Alexander Lukashenka accused the police of not catching real bribers and corrupt officials, but setting up provocations to arrest people, instead. Lukashenka said he learned about 78 cases of such provocations which were carried out in violation of laws and the constitutional rights of citizens.
However, the head of the state did not name any specific case. Piotr Kisialiou, a spokesman for the Office of the Prosecutor General, also declined to name at least several recent high-profile cases.
Sviatlana Barouskaia, the head of the Interior Ministry's press office, declined to comment on this issue, either.
But, Capt. Andrei Levinau, the former police inspector at Vitebsk's Zheleznodorozhny District Police Department, says it is not worth even discussing whether 78 cases of provocations is a bug number, because provocations became a common practice in the police work long time ago.
Andrei Levinau: "This has been done on a permanent basis, simply because two-three cases have to be resolved within a month. There is no real anti-corruption undercover work. Simply, police officers are ordered to give a certain result within a month. He has nothing else to do as to use provocations".
Former Minsk prosecutor's office investigator Aleh Vouchak advises how to behave in case of a police provocation.
Aleh Vouchak: "If you see that some suspicious talks have begun, you must immediately stop talking and call several witnesses from your office or by telephone. Right away, you must call the police at 102, because all the calls are recorded. You have to tell the police that there is a suspicious woman in your office; she came at this and this time and is offering a bribe. Then, both the woman and those who tried to set you up will be arrested".
In the view of Aleh Vouchak, only 20 percent of police set-ups have been resolved.
By the way, Lukashenka said nothing about any punishment for provocateurs or any changes in the way the police would work.
Photo: http://photo.bymedia.net/
However, the head of the state did not name any specific case. Piotr Kisialiou, a spokesman for the Office of the Prosecutor General, also declined to name at least several recent high-profile cases.
Sviatlana Barouskaia, the head of the Interior Ministry's press office, declined to comment on this issue, either.
But, Capt. Andrei Levinau, the former police inspector at Vitebsk's Zheleznodorozhny District Police Department, says it is not worth even discussing whether 78 cases of provocations is a bug number, because provocations became a common practice in the police work long time ago.
Andrei Levinau: "This has been done on a permanent basis, simply because two-three cases have to be resolved within a month. There is no real anti-corruption undercover work. Simply, police officers are ordered to give a certain result within a month. He has nothing else to do as to use provocations".
Former Minsk prosecutor's office investigator Aleh Vouchak advises how to behave in case of a police provocation.
Aleh Vouchak: "If you see that some suspicious talks have begun, you must immediately stop talking and call several witnesses from your office or by telephone. Right away, you must call the police at 102, because all the calls are recorded. You have to tell the police that there is a suspicious woman in your office; she came at this and this time and is offering a bribe. Then, both the woman and those who tried to set you up will be arrested".
In the view of Aleh Vouchak, only 20 percent of police set-ups have been resolved.
By the way, Lukashenka said nothing about any punishment for provocateurs or any changes in the way the police would work.
Photo: http://photo.bymedia.net/
