UN Human Rights Committee registers complaint by ex-political prisoner Yury Rubtsou

The UN Human Rights Committee has registered a complaint submitted by former political prisoner Yury Rubtsou to challenge a three-day arrest for wearing a T-shirt with the inscription “Lukashenka, Leave!”, for which he was detained during a street procession “Dziady-2013”. According to human rights activist Leanid Sudalenka, who prepared the complaint, on December 4, he received a message about the registration of the complaint under No. 2679/2015. The message also says that the communication has been sent to the Belarusian government for its comments on the merits.

During the protest, Mr. Rubtsou was repeatedly asked to take off the T-shirt, but the activist did not obey, saying the demand was illegal and preventing the free expression of opinion.

“After the procession, I was detained by police officers, who charged me under Article 23.4 of the Administrative Code, “disobeying legal demands”,” says the former political prisoner.

He was brought to the court of Minsk’s Saviecki district, where Judge Dzmitry Pauliuchenka sentenced the activist to an administrative arrest for three days.

“Now the government will have to find an answer to the question of whether the administrative charges against the activist met the country’s international obligations to respect the right of everyone to freedom of peaceful assembly and expression,” says human rights activist Leanid Sudalenka.

Source: gomelspring.org