Leanid Sudalenka goes to court to find who pays interest to his income

August 11, Saviecki District Court of Homieĺ, chaired by Judge Yury Valashynenka, held a preliminary hearing on the complaint of a human rights activist Leanid Sudalenka against the demand of the tax inspectorate to provide information about his assets and income for the past ten years "for official use only".

Representatives of the tax inspectorate claim that the initiative to request the declaration belongs to them, but when human rights previously asked them to respond in writing, the inspection found it necessary to transfer the relations to the regime of secrecy.

"Under the law, individuals need to present declarations of income and property at a written request of the tax authorities on the basis of a written request of the KGB, the police or the Prosecutor's Office. Taking advantage of the right to information, I asked who and on what grounds wants to know about the status of my income and property. The district tax inspectorate refused to disclose this information,” says Mr. Sudalenka.

Lat us remind that at first the Saviecki District Tax Inspectorate of Homieĺ demanded from the human rights defender an income and assets declaration for three years. When he stated that he had changed the place of his residence more than a year ago, the tax inspectorate revoked its demand. Later, the district inspectorate in his new place of residence demanded that he present the declaration about his income as the head of the NGO “Legal Initiative” for the last ten years. By the way, the requirement was “Confidential”.

“The representative of the tax inspectorate didn't manage to answer these questions at court. Who and why pays interest to my presidency at the NGO, in which I don't receive and am not paid any wage, and why for ten years, if I have presented a declaration up to 2012 already, and, finally, why the information about me is classified as “Confidential”?” - revolts the human rights activist.

The next session of the court is scheduled for August 26.

Homieĺ Viasna