A/HRC/32/48 “Lukashenka on trial”. Despite the fact that medical experts found injuries on the victim’s body, the authorities refuse to open a criminal case against the police officers. 84. Since their release, former political prisoners Yauhen Vaskovich, Ihar Alinevich, Yury Rubtsou and Mikalai Dziadok have spoken out about the conditions of detention and of the cruel and degrading treatment of prisoners. 85. In late December 2015, Pavel Rasliakou, a student, was beaten by investigators from the Department of the Interior of the Kastrychnitski district when questioned about a case of theft. The investigative committee refused to open a criminal case. The allegations of violence were corroborated by the conclusions reached in a medical examination. 86. On 25 January 2016, several activists disturbed a hearing of the “graffiti trial” (see para. 43 above). Pavel Siarhei and Maksim Shytsik were allegedly beaten by police officers. Pavel Dabravolski, a reporter, who was covering the trial for online media, was also detained and beaten. The court of the Frunzienski district sentenced the three men to fines on the basis of the testimony of the police officer, who, according to the persons convicted, had beaten them. 87. Already in 2010, at the first universal periodic review of Belarus, States had recommended that it introduce the definition of torture used in the Convention against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment into national legislation, respect the provisions of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights by introducing an absolute prohibition on torture, suspend all officers implicated in cases of torture and ensure full and impartial investigation, and bring perpetrators to justice, as demanded by article 4 of the Convention (A/HRC/15/16, paras. 97.15, 97.28 and 981998.21). 88. In 2015, the same recommendations were made at the second universal periodic review of Belarus (see A/HRC/30/3, paras. 127.51-52). 89. In 2012, the Committee against Torture, in its concluding observations, recommended that Belarus adopt a comprehensive set of modifications in its legislation and practices (see CAT/C/BLR/CO/4). 90. The Special Rapporteur has also recommended that Belarus ensure the absolute prohibition of torture and other ill-treatment in law and in practice, and take measures to bring conditions of detention in places of deprivation of liberty into line with the Standard Minimum Rules for the Treatment of Prisoners and other relevant international and national law standards (A/HRC/26/44, para. 139 (j)). No reforms or preparations in this regard were discernible in the period under review. G. Arbitrary arrest and detention, and enforced disappearances 91. The regular application on a massive scale of short-term arbitrary detention has long sustained the atmosphere of fear deterring use of the right to civil freedoms. The Special Rapporteur is concerned that the Government has not addressed any of the recommendations made by human rights mechanisms regarding arbitrary detention, especially of journalists and human rights defenders, and the practice of preventive detention. Despite apparent instructions to law enforcement to address public utterances with a summons to court rather than with violent means, the Special Rapporteur continued to receive serious allegations of arrests without warrant, and detention for several hours on disputable charges of individuals who participated in public demonstrations and rallies. The Special Rapporteur is concerned by the allegations of fabricated convictions and impunity of police officers who conduct arbitrary arrests and detention. 15