Human rights defender urges Supreme Court to punish Baranavichy judges

Human rights defender Siarhei Housha filed today a statement to the office of the Chairman of the Supreme Court, with a demand to prosecute a number of judges of Baranavichy City and District Court.

It’s been four months now since Siarhei Housha started seeking administration of justice in the city court and Brest Regional Court in his administrative lawsuit in the Belarusian language.
Judges Piatrou and Kmita keep sending Siarhei Housha judicial documents in Russian, despite the fact that he, both in writing and orally, asked the judges to send letters in Belarusian.
In his statement addressed to the President of the Supreme Court, the activist argues that in accordance with Article 4 of the Law "On Languages ​​in the Republic of Belarus” government officials have to know the Belarusian and Russian languages ​​to the extent necessary for the performance of their official responsibilities. In accordance with Article 26 of the Law "On State Service in the Republic of Belarus", a proper command of the national languages is a qualifying requirement for entry to the civil service, says the human rights defender. Siarhei Housha stresses that a similar provision is enshrined in Par. 3 Art. 2.11 of the Procedural-Executive Code on Administrative Offences of the Republic of Belarus, under which a court order issued to a person being a defendant in an administrative trial should be translated into his or her native language or the language he or she speaks.
Therefore, Siarhei Housha, guided by Art. 111, 115 of the Code of the Republic of Belarus on Judicial System and the Status of Judges, urges the Chairman of the Supreme Court to oblige Baranavichy District Court to issue decrees of 04.09.2012, 13.09.2012 and 19.10.2012 (decisions to initiate proceedings) in the Belarusian language and consider applying disciplinary proceedings against judges Piatrou and Kmita of Baranavichy City and District Court.