International Federation for Human Rights (FIDH) Reminds Justice Ministry of Belarus about Legal Term for Deciding on ‘Viasna’ Registration
Here’s the text of an open letter of the FIDH to the Minister of Justice Viktar Halavanau.
Attn. Mr. Viktor Golovanov
Minister of Justice
Via fax: (+375 17) 20 08 687
Re: Registration of the human rights association Viasna
Dear Mr. Minister,
The Observatory for the Protection of Human Rights Defenders, a joint-programme of the International Federation for Human Rights (FIDH) and the World Organization Against Torture (OMCT), was informed that on July 26, 2007, the human rights association Viasna had submitted to the Ministry of Justice a pack of documents in view of its registration.
We would kindly like to draw your attention on the fact that according to the Article 9 of the “Regulations on the State Registration (or Re-Registration) of Political Parties, Trade-Unions and Other Social Action Organizations and Associations”, the application for the state registration (or re-registration) of an association [...] shall be considered within one month from its submission. Further, pursuant to Article 11 of the same regulations, registration can be refused only in limitative cases (i.e. non-compliance of the association's activities with its Statute, failure of the association to present all the documents required) and we sincerely believe that Viasna does not fall in the scope of any of these.
We also should like to recall that according to Article 5(a) of the United Nations Declaration on Human Rights Defenders, “for the purpose of promoting and protecting human rights and fundamental freedoms, everyone has the right, individually and in association with others, to form, join and participate in non-governmental organisations, associations or groups”.
We are convinced that you will take the above-mentioned application into account in view of giving a positive outcome to the registration request of this important organisation.
Yours sincerely,
Souhayr BELHASSEN
President of the FIDH
