Another student expelled over opposition activity

Mikalai Lohvinau, activist of the Belarusian Popular Front’s youth wing, has been expelled from the Minsk State Polytechnic College, the Association of Belarusian Students said.

“Mikalai learned today that he was expelled for allegedly missing classes. The rector’s order had numerous violations,” the ABS’s Twitter said.

Lohvinau was detained on March 14 in Minsk. He was charged with illegal protesting and later fined BYN 115 by the Court of Pieršamajski District.

Mikalai Lohvinau is among a dozen students expelled from Belarusian universities following their involvement in the protests of February and March 2017.

Campaigners for students’ rights have launched an online petition “Teaching repression a lesson: support Belarusian students to get back into university”. It urges Belarusian universities to stop expelling students for their activities in civil society or politics.