Wave of indignation and solidarity: Belarusians mourning loss of Raman Bandarenka
2020.11.13 11:53
Minsk resident Raman Bandarenka who was taken away by unindentified persons from in the improvised Square of Change in Charvyakou Street died as a result of severe head injuries.
Since the death was confirmed on Thursday evening, Belarusians keep coming to the square to honour his memory. Memorial events are taking place across Belarus and abroad.
On November 11, plainclothes people arrived at the popular offstreet yard known as ‘Square of Change’ and started to remove white and red ribbons fastened on the fences. Raman Bandarenka, who resided in a block of flats not far from it, went out and asked what was going on. A fight broke out; Bandarenka was put into a van and driven in an unknown direction.
Later, he was taken to the neurosurgery unit from Tsentralny district police department where he spent about two hours. According to the doctors, Bandarenka was in ‘extremely critical condition’. He was diagnosed with closed craniocerebral injury, acute subdural head hematomas, brain haemorrhage; the man slipped into a coma. Some doctors speaking on condition of anonymity confirmed that the patient was beaten by pro-government forces. In turn, the Belarusian Interior Ministry says that the policemen found ‘a citizen who got injuries in a fight’ and law enforcement officers called an ambulance.
Raman Bandarenka was 31; his mother lost her only son.
About 500 Hrodna residents laid flowers and lit candles in the main square of the city: