Belarusians are increasingly being stripped naked at the border upon returning home

Those who have a political record in their biography are ordered to undress, in addition to having their phones checked, when crossing the border.

As several people told Nasha Niva, they first encountered the practice of undressing at the border in spring.

"Such checks began at least in April. Although they don't always strip you — they might limit themselves to checking your phone.

But if they do strip you, they ask you to remain in just your underwear. This happens in the presence of two witnesses — their own (for example, a cleaning lady) or random people from the bus. Afterwards, they present a protocol for signature stating that an inspection was conducted. At the same time, no one explains what the matter is — "it's an order from above," — describes one of the interlocutors about their unpleasant experience.

Павялічыць

Another Belarusian, who experienced this upon returning home from Europe, was told that such actions could be carried out by decision of the customs chief regarding an individual, "if there is no trust in them".

A woman who arrived with her family from a vacation in Turkey was taken for an individual inspection because she had been detained at a march after the 2020 elections.

"They stripped me down to my underwear and bra. Besides the customs officer, two so-called witnesses were present — girls from passport control. The customs officer checked all the seams in my belongings. She also looked through my shoes and socks to check if anything was hidden there," she told her acquaintances.

Since 2020, the woman has been stopped at the border all the time, even when she returns from Russia. However, previously everything was limited to checking her phone.

"I asked what this new procedure was. They replied that additional inspection of belongings is carried out selectively by order of the customs chief. Moreover, now they can also conduct body searches — supposedly, these are their reforms."

According to Article No. 329 of the EAEU Customs Code, a personal search at the border may be conducted if there is reason to believe that a citizen is concealing certain goods that violate the rules for their movement across the territory of the Eurasian Economic Union countries. In the case of Belarus, this rule is abused to keep the people in captivity and obedience.

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