Homel: human rights defender tries to return confiscated manuals for observers through court
On 30 November officers
of the Ashmiany customs office examined the personal belongings of the Homel
human rights defender Leanid Sudalenka who was returning home from Vilnius. They confiscated
from him 10 copies of Instructions for
Short-term Observers at Presidential Election of Belarus. The human rights
defender considers the confiscation of the manuals illegal and stated it in his
complaint to the head of the State Customs Committee, which was filed by him on
1 December.
’The printed production is of electoral nature and content and my complaint
must be considered in conformity with requirements of the Electoral Code, which
provides 3 days for it. As far as I have received no answer to my complaint
from the head of the customs office, I still consider the actions of customs
officers are unlawful and contradictory to the principles of openness and
transparency of elections in our country and limit my right to disseminate
information. By the way, the confiscated printed production will lose its
actuality after the election. That’s why I asked to return it to me as soon as
possible,’ explained Mr. Sudalenka. ‘I don’t understand the reasons for
limiting my right to disseminate election-related information, which could be
necessary for achieving one of the legal aims present in Articles 23 and 34 of
the Constitution and Article 19 of the International Covenant of Civil and
Political Rights.’
Mr. Sudalenka asks the court to consider the actions of the Ashmiany customs
office unlawful and oblige the customs officers to return him the manuals for
observers.
Human Rights Defenders for Free Elections
