Complaint of Belarusian Language Society

06.04.2005

https://spring96.org/en/news/13494 2005 2005-04-06T10:00:00+0300 2005-04-06T10:00:00+0300 1970-01-01T03:00:00+0300 en The Human Rights Center “Viasna” The Human Rights Center “Viasna” The Human Rights Center “Viasna”

The Human Rights Center “Viasna”

RFE/RL

Frantsishak Skaryna Belarusian Language Society complained against the warning, issued by the Justice Ministry for the registration of its units in private flats. A number of other parties and organizations, the fate of which would depend on the results of this trial, have also submitted such complaints.

The Housing Code was often mentioned at the trial that started at the Supreme Court on 5 April. Aleh Trusau, chair of the organization, thinks that the fate of the organization is decided there together with the fate of other public organizations and political parties. Dozens of them have recently received warnings from the Ministry of Justice for registration of their structures at private flats of their members. The Housing Code prohibits it – it was the Ministry of Justice who allowed it in 2000. The permission letter explained it with the wish to “prevent the tension of the public and political situation”.

Five years have passed and the things that had been allowed became a violation for which one cam be punished. BLS is one of the first organizations that complained against the issued warning. Its activists insistently proved their right to judge Halina Zhukouskaia, pointing at difficulties with registration of their structures, and said they were ready to register the new structures on juridical addresses in accordance with the last demand of the Ministry of Justice. They also said that the Ministry of Justice actually confirmed that the law violations took place on its initiative.

Aliaksandr Kharyton, representatives of the Justice Ministry, partially confirmed it. For instance, he called the letter of 2000 that permitted the registration of structures in private flats, “judicially worthless”. According to him, the letter wasn’t revoked by any other order or instruction and no one was punished for acting according to the “judicially worthless” letter.

Today the court listened to both sides and studied the documents of the case. It is planned to announce the decision on 7 April.