Ministry of Justice Warns Party of Communists of Belarus

According to www.charter97.org

The Ministry of Justice of the Republic of Belarus has completed an activity check-up of the Party of Communists of Belarus, including the number of its members. During the conducted check-up less than 1 300 persons confirmed their membership in the party, which meets the requirements of the Belarusian legislation concerning the minimal number of members of a political party. At the same time the ministry stated that more than 200 persons who had been included in the party lists hadn’t confirmed their membership. That’s why a warning was issued to the party. By 5 February the PCB has to liquidate the found mistakes, otherwise the question of its further activity will be raised.

Siarhei Vazniak, press-secretary for the Party of Communists of Belarus, stated that the ministry pretensions are far from being legal as this organ didn’t conduct a legal check-up of the PCB activity. ‘Instead of the Ministry of Justice this check-up was performed by the police, prosecutor’s office, KGB and workers of house management who intimidated members of the party or pressurized them. No surprise that many members of the party refused to talk with the police or KGB or refused from their membership in the party as a result of such ‘check-up’,’ said Siarhei Vazniak.

Now the PCB intends to appeal the warning to court.