The court refused to restore Mikalaj Pratasevich, the candidate to deputy’s empowered person, at his position who was fired just before the parliamentary elections.

On November 29 in Ushachy region a court trial was finished. The court discussed the appeal of Mikalaj Pratasevich to the rest house “Forest lakes” to restore him at his place of employment. No matter that two of four rebukes, on the base of which Pratasevich was dismissed, the court did not satisfy his appeal.

Mikalaj Pratasevich was dismissed from the position of senior power engineering specialist in September 2004 before the parliamentary elections (Mikalaj Pratasevich is a BPF member, was a empowered person of a “5+” candidate Dmitry Salaujou). The order about his dismissal was signed by the director of “Forest lakes” Artsiomenka A. This was not the first attempt to fire the political activist. In 2001 during the presidential elections Mikalaj Pratasevich was also dismissed but later was restored after the court trial (Ushachy court did not satisfy the appeal that time as well. He had to appeal to higher institutions). The case had a political ground and was held with a tight control of the local administration. The judge Kastahryzau who conducted the hearings received telephone calls from ”upper institutions”.

Pratasevich is provided with legal help of human rights “Viasna” and Interregional Human Rights Center “Viasna Paazerje”. He was represented by Vitaly Januk, the lawyer. At the moment a complaint about the court decision is being prepared.