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UN HRC: Belarusian authorities violated the rights activists Novopolotsk

The UN Human Rights Committee issued another decision, which recognized the Republic of Belarus offending civil and political rights of the people of the country. According to another decision of the committee in 2007 Novopolotsk court unjustly punished the local activist Valery Shevchenko (35 basic units) and Anton Yasinovich (25 basic units) for alleged violation of the Electoral Code.

Valery Shevchenko and Anton Yasinovich appealed to the committee after having been punished by the court under Article 09.10 of the Administrative Code (violation of the legislation on elections, referendum, recall, and the deputy of the right of legislative initiative of citizens).

In 2007, they conducted a series of pickets allowed by the authorities to protest against the abolition of privileges and informing citizens about the impact of the relevant law. During the rally, the protesters asked residents to assess the actions of MPs from Novopolotsk, who voted for the law. People would willingly signed the petition: "We protest against the abolition of privileges and advocate a review of MPs from Novopolotsk who voted for anti-national law." It was gathered 3,000 signatures, which activists sent to the presidential administration and the local government.

The authorities have not reacted to the collective appeal of citizens. But for activists who collected signatures, started administrative proceedings: they allegedly failed to meet the procedures necessary for the recall of deputies. Novopolotsk City Court found them guilty, Vitebsk Oblast and the Supreme Court, in which complaints were sent to the trial court's decision, that decision left in place.

Now, the point of the «i» set up the Committee for Human Rights. According to the experts committee, Belarusian courts sentenced Shevchenko and Yasinovich in violation of paragraph 2 of Article 19 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights ("Everyone has the right to freedom of expression: this right includes freedom to seek, receive and impart information and ideas, regardless of of frontiers, either orally, or in writing or in print ... ").

Belarus to ratify the pact, has taken on the obligation to comply with the provisions of this international legal instrument. So now the government should pay compensation to activists incurred losses. Although if they would do it - remains in question: the last time the Belarusian authorities, despite the country's international commitments, ignore all the decisions of the HRC.