Stefanovich's complaints are still forwarded to Ministry of Defense

On 11 March the vice-head of the Human Rights Center "Viasna" Valiantsin Stefanovich was prevented from leaving for Lithuania. He was stopped by the Belarusian border guards at the crossing point "Kamenny Loh" and stated that he was prohibited to leave Belarus.

At first Mr. Stefanivich appealed the unlawful limitation of his freedom of movement to the Office of the Prosecutor General and was answered that his appeal was forwarded to the Ministry of Defense.

On 27 March the activist applied to the Partyzanski District Police Department of Minsk. The police filed an inquiry with the Ministry of Defense of the Republic of Belarus which had allegedly provided information, on the basis of which he had been put on the list of the prohibited to travel abroad.

The reason for it was that Mr. Stefanovich allegedly evaded from measures connected to military service. However, he is 12 years older than the maximally allowed age of call-up, and served in the army in 1990-1992. That's why he applied to the Partyzanski District Military Enlistment Office and was answered that no decisions on imposing foreign travel restrictions on him had been taken there.

However, the head of the Partyzanski District Police Department A.Parashchuk gave a written answer to the applicant, in which it was stated that "information about the citizens who are temporary prohibited to leave the territory of the Republic of Belarus in connection for the failure to appear at measures connected with the call-up to army service are put in the database by military enlistment offices". That's why police officers had no relation to introducing Stefanovich in the database. Stefanovich's appeal was again forwarded to the Ministry of Defense.

After this, only one thing was left for Valiantsin Stefanovich – to appeal the foreign travel restrictions to court. On 21 March he filed an appeal with the Tsentralny District Court of Minsk.