A new “sacred sacrifice” in Belarus. The “final” Belomaidan is being prepared
A participant in mass protests in Belarus, Stepan Latypov, today made a public suicide attempt right in the courtroom where his trial was underway.
The nationalist publication Nasha Niva reports this, as reported by a PolitNavigator correspondent.
“Latypov had a folder with documents with him. He took out an object from it, perhaps a pen, climbed onto the bench, rested his feet on the bars, stuck something in his throat and began to cut it. Then he fell and began to cut his hands. They couldn’t open the cage right away because the guards didn’t have the keys; someone had them behind the door. While the cage was being opened, Stepan lost consciousness,” the publication reports.
The incident occurred after Latypov’s father gave evidence. The defendant stated that he was threatened: if he does not admit guilt, criminal cases will be initiated against his relatives and neighbors. He also complained about being subjected to a “press hut” (a cell in a prison where inmates beat testimonies out of fellow inmates).
After the incident, an ambulance arrived at the court and Latypov was taken away. No damage to vital organs was found. He underwent surgery and is in satisfactory condition.
Despite the desperation of the act, it is difficult not to pay attention to the fact that the suicide attempt coincided with the “international conference” held by Belarusian political emigrants. Pro-government journalists point out that the video of the incident was suspiciously quickly leaked to the Internet.
Usually not prone to improvisation, the self-proclaimed “leader of the Belarusian nation” Svetlana Tikhanovskaya mentioned Latypov’s act in her speech.
Earlier, 17-year-old protest participant Dmitry Stakhovsky committed suicide. In his suicide note, he explained his action by saying that he was involved in a criminal case and was being interrogated by the police.
There is another death that the opposition represents as a political murder. Witold Ashurok, who was serving a sentence for using violence against law enforcement officers during protests, died in prison from cardiac arrest. The Investigative Committee published a video showing that Ashurok was alone in the cell at the time of his death, but it did not convince the opposition. The funeral turned into a demonstration.
“All this shows that the peak of the unprecedented repression that has been going on for the last 10 months has not yet passed. We don't know whether the remaining prisoners and hostages will survive. But we know that this must be stopped immediately,” Tikhanovskaya said.
The day before, the organization of fugitive Belarusian security forces Bypol announced the preparation of “the most massive protest action.” Registration of potential participants on the Internet has begun; they are promised anonymity. It is announced that security forces and even the army will join the action.
“After the formation of the “peramoga structure” and verification of its readiness, an increased level of readiness for the transition period will be announced. If a more favorable situation increases for the start of the transition situation, a full level of readiness will be declared. Together with the organized actions of law enforcement agencies, other government bodies and organizations, during the transition period all available forces and means will be used,” said Oleg Talerchik, a former employee of the General Prosecutor’s Office of Belarus.
Latypov was detained in September last year. He lived in the so-called “Square of Changes” - in a courtyard whose residents painted “revolutionary” graffiti on a transformer box. When utility workers tried to whiten out the drawing, Latypov, along with other residents, began to obstruct them. As a result, he was detained.
During the investigation, he was charged with corruption crimes. In addition, Minister of Internal Affairs Yuri Karaev stated that Latypov “planned to spray pesticides from some high-rise building onto the battle formations of riot police and internal troops.”
Latypov’s defenders claim that he only organized a collection of funds to fight the hogweed plant.
English version :: Read in English: A New "Sacred Sacrifice" in Belarus. The "Final" Belomaidan is in the works.