"Ordered to undress and turn on bodycams." A Belarusian woman recounted a new practice of searches at the border

The practice of searches, including those with undressing, existed before. Usually, customs officers used it when there were suspicions that a traveler might be transporting drugs or prohibited items.

Now, however, its application is specifically extended to those who are called for interviews with KGB officers.

Maria often travels from Belarus to Poland and back. The woman has already gotten used to interrogations at the border — she says that the corresponding office has become a mandatory stop when returning to Belarus. Officers usually ask about the purpose of the trip, check her phone, and might detain her for an hour or two. But during her last trip, in addition to a thorough car search, X-ray, and an interview with KGB officers, undressing was also added.

"Well, that's it, now you're going to prison"

First, the Belarusian woman's car was driven into a special box. There, she was asked to unload all her belongings — everything was thoroughly inspected, even the floor mats were lifted. And then the woman was led "for a talk."

— First, they asked for my phone. They did a search based on likes. I didn't even know that was possible. I thought I had long since cleared everything on my phone. But they found likes from 2020. And they told me: "Well, that's it, now you're going to prison," Maria recounts.

According to her, the entire conversation was structured to intimidate her and keep her constantly on edge. They repeated several times that they would call a car to transport her to a temporary detention center or district police department.

— It felt like it was important for them to keep me constantly stressed. Then one of them added: "Now we'll check the comments too. If we find any, you'll definitely go to jail," the woman recalls.

No comments were found, but the mere waiting while the officers checked them, according to her, was already exhausting.

After the interrogation, the car was sent for an X-ray, and a customs officer approached Maria and told her she had to follow her. In the waiting room, there were several other women — apparently, she wasn't the only one being searched that day.

— I was led into an empty room. There were two female customs officers — as I understood, they were witnesses. They offered to read me my rights, and then told me that now I would have to undress. They turned on their bodycams. I had the impression that the witnesses themselves found this procedure unpleasant.

Having undressed down to her underwear, Maria stood before three female officers and cameras while she was searched. Afterward, she was allowed to get dressed. The search didn't last long, the woman recalls.

"They treat you like the last criminal"

Maria says that at that moment she felt neither fear nor anxiety.

— I felt very uncomfortable because I was helpless before this system. So much time has passed, and they continue to terrorize their own people. Did you win? You won so much that you can't calm down.

All this time, while the interrogation, X-ray, and finally, the undressing were happening, the children remained in the car. The interviewee spent almost seven hours at the checkpoint.

— I traveled across the border often before, and a lot. Customs officers were always polite and courteous. And when they saw children, they tried to check everything faster. Now — constant aggression, they treat you like the last criminal, — says Maria.

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