Department of Presidential Affairs Agrees to Lease Office to BHC

The main economic board of the Department of Presidential Affairs has extended the tenancy agreement with the pubic association “Belarusian Helsinki Committee”, reports Charter’97. Today Chairperson of the Belarusian Helsinki Committee Tatsiana Protska had a meeting with the acting head of the main economic board of the Department of Presidential Affairs Mikhail Belyaeu.

The human rights activist says, the tenancy agreement concerning the premises in Karl Marx Street 68 in Minsk has been prolonged for a year. Now the organization has a legal address and does not face liquidation.

“We had a conversation with the acting head of the economic board of the Department of Presidential Affairs Mikhail Belyaeu. He told that maybe we are not the best renters, but the agreement had been extended for one more year,” Tatsyana Protska said.

As we have informed, in December 2006 the main economic board of the Department of Presidential Affairs informed the Belarusian Helsinki Committee about termination of the contract on renting the office and delivered the order for its vacating before January 20, 2007.

Besides that, the Supreme Court resumed a case initiated by the Justice Ministry on suspension of activities of the committee which marked its 10-year anniversary last year.

The US State department, the European Union and the international human rights defence community has condemned the steps of the Belarusian regime against the Belarusian Helsinki Committee.