"They behaved like gibbons. Wrenching, non-stop dustups… I could see in their eyes there was something wrong with them"
Marked with a red mark hit especially hard
Marked with a red mark hit especially hard
On August 11, Pavel Sitenkov’s routine jogging ended with an encounter with OMON. The riot police was not satisfied with just taking a man who wasn’t objecting to the paddy wagon. Therefore, they broke Pavel’s spine bone by throwing him with his head down the asphalt because “he was looking disapprovingly at the militia”. This is the actual quote from the official incident report. Later, at the Grodno detention facility he begged for assistance over ten times within 16 hours and got nothing. His sportive muscles saved him. Though he is still limited in his moves, the forecast is optimistic.
OMON threw him with his head down the asphalt, broke his spine bone
On August 11, Pavel finished his usual jogging course at the intersection of Gornovykh and Sovetskikh Pogranichnikov streets and was on his way home.
— I saw OMON cut off the taxi at the bus stop with their silver “Gazelle”. They came out, pulled the taxi driver and his passenger out; broke the window and threw both of them into their gazelle. Three of them – two on the sides and one from the leg side – kicked him over his head and face by their truncheon hard part. They beat out his phone, then the car keys. They also beat the passenger. And then, one of the OMON guys calmly got into their car, drove it to the side, and abandoned.
Pavel remembered their chevron: green rectangle with a triangle inside and 411 number.
Pavel told of what he saw to another taxi driver in the traffic jam. By the moment, he crossed the street; OMON was already there and "worked" at the parking lot pulling out people from their cars and shouting. The "cosmonauts" also joined them. Not far from them there was an armored car with a gunman. OMON folks were running along the driveway breaking windows of the cars. They also marked trunks with the spray paint.
— They behaved like gibbons. Wrenching, non-stop dustups. I do not believe that a captain or a major who knows how to detain people and works for 5-10 years would be afraid of something, be nervous and behave like that. I could see in their eyes there was something wrong with them. It seemed like they were under the influence of some stimulants.
Detained people were lying along the green zone under the guarding of the “cosmonauts”. At the moment, he heard “Come on, move on faster”, Pavel responded “I am walking the way I like. I don’t have to run”. Possibly, the answer seemed rude. I heard them saying into my back “Oh, this is the sportsman again” Two of them twisted my arms. Pavel did not oppose and even bended right away and stretched his arms, he understood what was going on. They took him to the other detainees at the parking lot.
— At that moment, OMON got bored. Or maybe they thought it was too easy. Two of them overthrew me stronger under my forearms, I could not move, they lifted me, kicked off my legs and threw with my head down the asphalt. In other words, I fell on vertically with my head down on the ground. I felt horrible pain immediately. I have never seen such flashes. I asked for a senior officer and insisted on examination; they did not care. They kicked me more instead.
"Hey guys, do you understand, if it were not for us you would be bleeding all over here because of the western separatists" was their justification
— We stayed on the ground for 15 minutes until an ivory MAZ, a regular passenger bus from the driveway came to the parking lot. When they started loading us; when I was turning my head I realized there were more problems then just my head. Now I felt pain in my neck and chest. They kicked us more. However, I could not feel could not feel pain anymore because of all the traumas or them not trying hard enough. They placed us in a narrow pathway as they were calling it “for the stream” or a herring bone: the first would be on the knees with the forehead down the floor, hands behind the head or back, another with the forehead into the first person’s waste line or butts. Our first guy was just 17-year old. He let them know many times he was only 17. But every time he mentioned that, they… hit him more severely. Beat him even stronger.
They marked the foreheads of those who broke the rules or answered rude. They told "As of today we have imposed martial law for all of you, you are dead” At that moment Pavel thought it sounded like the truth.
— What surprised the most and made us silently laugh was the manner which they used to tell that. I could feel somebody put all of these into their heads. Literally. They were like repeating record. When they asked the question “How much did they pay you?” everybody was laughing over the manner he said that: stepping over himself as if he was forced to ask. Possibly, there was a video recording inside the vehicle. The guy who was 17 told “50 Rouble” They beat him again even more. He could hardly breathe. He told about that, by the way. Then, as I realized later by the sounds, he fell into the step well behind the back door and stayed like that. Later, the one who asked us that question told us “You see, you were paid 50 Rouble from god knows where, and now you are paying us” and then he laughed.
However, there was one sincere phrase by the "cosmonauts" that Pavel who is familiar with psycology heard "Hey guys, do you understand, if it were not for us you would be bleeding all over here because of the western separatists". That was their justification.
— They needed a reason. They could not explain what to do and then people did something wrong, they beat them over their shoulder and back heads. I figured their psycology. They say "Arms" and I knew where I should stretch my arms. They beat me over my head once. They also put their feet in their army boots over me. I am not sure whether it was a humiliation act or it was uncomfortable to take off the shoe. And of course they spilled all the cursing over “You are fuckers” etc.
In approximately 15 minutes, we reached the gates of the detention facility. The riot policemen were annoyed that they had to wait. They tried to scare us "That's it, we were super soft, now they are going to f*** your asses” In the end, their boss made a weird joke that as we learnt almost all OMON guys repeated “Thank you for using our airlines” followed by heavy and rude laughter. They started throwing all the detainees on the ground.
“Thank you for using our airlines” followed by heavy and rude laughter. They started throwing all the detainees on the ground
— They pushed me but I managed to stand still. Those who fell were beaten. They put us with the foreheads to the wall, with our feet wide and arms twisted like butterflies. The new officer came and started checking. Most likely he was an investigator because he had civil clothing on, everybody else wore uniform. I had nothing with me, neither phone, or keys, or documents. – “What? Why do you have nothing? Are you fucking crazy?” He clearly told us “Don’t try to mess, otherwise you are dead” Word by word. At that moment, I could hardly move.
They beat others who did something "wrong". They hit passionately with two hands. Others kicked with army boots. Pavel got kicked also.
The investigator transferred the detainees into the “waiting room”. He told the woman at the door to give Pavel a plus. Maybe he recognized him, there are many sportsmen working at Grodno detention facility. Maybe he liked that Pavel did not mess up.
The "waiting room" is a white brick space 7x7 meters large in open air with a jail warden on the top. Pavel stood there for two hours or longer with his forehead into the wall with his feet wide and arms over his head on the wall. In 20-30 minutes, they brought some water. The detainees drank from one bottle one by one. Those who were “marked” were taken from their cells and beaten. Those who tried to protest experienced the same.
— Most of all, I was suprised that a female officer took part in battery. Female voice followed by the hits. And then, male moaning with groans on the exhale. I heard how they overthrew or broke somebody’s knee. They kept bringing new detainees. I heard “Check him out, he is here for the second time today. What the f**k you are doing here? – I was walking home and you took me for the second time. – You are fuckhead” And they would … not beat, not batter but rather fagot him. And laugh.
— At certain moment… Maybe my imagination drew this. It seemed like I heard that they raped someone with a truncheon. He says "no, no, do not take off" and then a moan. At the exhale as if a person was getting unconscious. Maybe it's just my imagination but the sounds I heard were horrific.
Pavel shared his cell with a guy who had asthma, and another one who had the second degree of disability. The first request for help was to bring an inhaler. Only when the person fell on the floor, this is how bad he felt, the policemen brought the inhaler. The guy with disability did not have any special treatment. Pavel asked for a doctor 3 or 4 times. They promised help but naturally no one came.
— Another guard came, very skinny, but he thought of himself being very strong. He busted a gut working over me. Everybody told him “Come on, work harder on him”. He responded “Oh no, if he moves he will break his neck” Sure! It was funny! When I was leaving, the officer who asked to mark me with a plus sign, ordered “Do not touch this one”.
They took Pavel to the operative officers.
— There were two of them in the office: a big guy, and to his left – the officer who handled my case. Both wore civilian clothing and had service guns. At first, they placed me next to the door. Some light-colonel or colonel opened the door and hit me, not too strong. He even apologized, which surprised me. My time came. “What were you doing? – Jogging – You talk shit! – Check out, I don’t even have my phone with me. – All of you were jogging. Let’s file an offence report” Without asking any questions he filed a report. I saw there were mistakes (he copied-and-pasted parts of the charges): “men detained”, “therefore, no further charges to her”.
Under the watchful eyes of an officer, Pavel agreed to sign, however, he noted that he “did not agree to the full extent” Without hesitation he asked for a copy of the document and even asked if he could register injures. They answered “You can try”.
— Their discussed what means tough beating. The big one says "Tough means you shit your pants” recalls Pavel. Another interesting moment was when I was at the interrogation I heard over their walkie-talkie someone high ranking ordered “White Volkswagen – shoot”. It looked like they tried to raise the level of aggression among those in the filed over their walkie-talkies.
The most adequate person at the detention facility according to Pavel was a light colonel who took him out from the office.
— He took me carefully by the hand and calmly walked me without any words. If there were other officers ahead I bended lower so that they do not reproach him. We went down to the stairs and I raised my head. Accidentally, I saw the face of the officer, who wore civilian clothing and was leaving the building. He was really nervous "Face down otherwise I'm gonna kill you!" I realized at that moment "Sure, guys, you are already scared".
Pavel loosened up a little when they passed him over to the two fat guards, a major and a light colonel.
— They started hitting me over my back. I needed to go 15 meteres to my cell. They seemed to want me fall down so that they could kick the hell out of me. But I stood strong – says Pavel emotionless. – I always knew they were capable of such things. What they did to me, does not bother me too much. Even psycologists did not work long with me. Due to my sportive background I am used to the violence. But such brutal violence toward others… Anger, rage, and inner shiver. As if my heart is squeezed and I get short of air.
I only could turn like a robot. The pain in my backbone was horrible… As it there is a streched rubber band which was going to fall apart. I felt my spinebone like that rubber band
Pavel was the third in the four-men cell. Within the next hour-hour and a half there were already 13 of them. There were an emergency rescue officer, a plant worker, a businessman. Some were taken to the interrogation, some switched cells.
— At the beginning, I did not know how to behave. At the top bunks there were two criminals charged within different cases. It felt weird until they brought the fourth guy. They open the door and the guard steped into the cell a little further than when he brought me. And those two guys told him “Fuck off, jerk” And then I knew everything would be ok, smiles Pavel.
— sed to have a stereotype that there were only alcoholics at the detention facilities. Never in my life I met so many honest, sincere and committed people than in that cell!
Pavel had to spend about16 hours in the cell. Every time, they opened the door he tried to ask for a doctor. He knocked. The guard would open a food window, examined Pavel who was sitting five meters away from him and summed up "You are totally fine". Though ambulance came to the facility around 7 in the morning and took away an uncounscious woman.
Pavel was the most injured among his cell mates. He spent all night on the floor under the lower bunk.
— By that moment, I could only turn like a robot. The pain in my backbone was horrible… As if there is a stretched rubber band which is going to tear apart. I felt my spine bone or something inside it like that rubber band. I felt my tissues, as if some abscess was growing inside. I literally brushed asphalt with my head and it felt like someone spilled salt in it all the time. I had difficulties with breathing. Emotionally it was very uncomfortable in the beginning, and then I simply did not care.
Judges came around four.
— A skinny guard took my hand. I have never seen that mililiamen would put their pants inside their boots. He tried all his brutality on me, tried to humiliate, kicked. While I was waiting at the reception area at the wall, the cop started reading my case. He misreads my name and laughed. When he was talking I felt Spanish shame for him.
Judge by the name Radyuck was working on Pavel's case. Later, Pavel’s lawyer showed him a photo of that judge. No, it wasn’t him, his judge looked different. Pavel remembered well his good haircut, laid-back gray hair. He was older than Radyuk and did not have glassed. Pavel was charged with being at the preliminary planned location, participation at the unauthorised campaign, picketing, shouting slogans, wearing symbols and … “unfavourably gazing at the militia”.
When Pavel told that deputy minister and minister of sports could write reference letters for him, the judge got interested and asked more questions and suddenly sentenced him to the five base wages. Even his secretary got surprised. Upon the verdict even the guard who convoyed Pavel got nicer.
By the way, they never returned Pavel his belongings: his neck chain and cross are gone forever.
It is probably good that I found myself at that time and place. If there were someone else not as trained, he would most likely not survive such a throw over the head?
Once at home, Pavel cleaned himself up and went to the near-by emergency ward where he was immediately hospitalized. Later they confirmed the fracture of the two neck and three thoracic vertebrae with herniated disc protrusion of the intervertebral discs of the c-spine. On the same night the investigator showed up. Medics reported the trauma.
— They did not want to let him in my ward, the nurses were ready go for broke. And I had my paranoia “That’s it, the cops have learnt that I am complaining”. I was thinking I would not hide. The investigator recorded my testimony and told “Let's take the DNA test from under your nails” I am thinking to myself, that’s a setup. I found out later that this is a standard procedure.
While Pavel was hospitalized, he was called in as a witness to the Investigation Committee. The swimmer is sure that the reason was an open letter of sportsmen to the authorities with their requirements. Pavel was among those who launched the initiative. Later, they gave a tip over the phone that the letter itself, and the work of the Free Sportsmen Union of Belarus is an upheaval. Which might cost Pavel 5 to 15 years of imprisonment. Taken that Pavel was a member of the Coordination committee… The sportsman flew away to rehabilitate with an understanding that he would not be able to come back to Belarus he used to know. Even to the work that he loved. On September, Pavel should have taken the position of the senior coach of the national swimming team (Pavel finished his sportive career several years ago). However, even if he haven’t had such trauma, the candidate with such bio would be unlikely acceptable. It hurt the most that everything happened when Pavel realized that he wanted to work at home.
He is not allowed to sit for half more year. He cannot raise anything heavier than 10 kg for a year. They allowed taking off his chest brace but the halo brace had to be worn until the end of November; until he gets new recommendations from his doctor. Usually, traumas like that have horrible consequences such as wheelchair or complete paralysis. Pavel’s strong muscles saved him. They kept his spine bone in the right position.
— I cannot move like I used to do. As a swimmer, I must precisely feel certain nuances especially shoulder movements. Now I can turn my body. In the beginning, when I tried to bend my right arm, my elbow nerve was shooting, some nerve was pinched. Now left leg raise is slightly numb. With every deep inhale my spine bone cracks. Every bending makes my back crack also. It looks like everything is still unstable. These brace performed its mission and stretched my spine bone. But it will take at least a year to reach the previous condition, movements and feel of the body, anyway. At least a year.
— Do you think you still can get back to sports?
— I hope. I have no other choice. I cannot live with this depression and anger over those jerks. I will get back to such a form that they will get shocked. Maybe it's not so bad that I was there at the time. What if there were some usual dude or a family man who couldn't have survived such overhead flow.
P.S. While Pavel was at the hospital, four investigators switched, however the case of the beating is still at the stage of verification. Fortunately, they managed to successfully challenge the fine. Pavel believes it was because none of the militiamen showed up in court. A couple hours before the trial, Pavel studied his case materials and discovered a curious thing. There was a report of militiamen who claimed that Pavel was detained during their patrolling shift on August 12, though Pavel was actually detained on the 11th. The report wasn’t registered at the District Department of Interior. While the detention report was made almost 24 hours before the actual detention.
*за помощь в подготовке материала редакция благодарит Международный комитет по расследованию пыток в Беларуси-2020.
OMON threw him with his head down the asphalt, broke his spine bone