Salihorsk Prosecutor’s Office says threats of entry in foreign travel black list are legal

Salihorsk District Prosecutor’s Office took the side of the government in a dispute between local human rights activist Leanid Markhotka and the town’s public utility center.

In late May, the human rights defender sent a complaint to the District Prosecutor against the payment processing center, which is placed in the utility bills an announcement on a list of “foreign travel bans” and took on the responsibility for the sending of these lists to the State Border Committee. Instead of responding to the illegal actions of public utilities, the prosecuting authorities undertook to protect them.

“I absolutely do not understand why the Prosecutor’s Office has assigned the function of a lawyer of the Processing Center. It is not clear why illegal intimidation of citizens is called “warning information and other preventive measures in a simplified form.” Why do I need to be explained the legislative acts on citizens’ foreign travels, when what we see is illegal, intimidating content they sent to my mail,” says the outraged Leanid Markhotka.

According to the human rights defender, information notification of legal nature should explain to citizens their rights and obligations, and not mislead with their mendacious content. In the near future the prosecutor’s decision will be appealed to the Prosecutor’s Office of Minsk region.