Human Rights Center “Viasna” Is Being Liquidated!!!

The Supreme Court has accepted for consideration the suit of the Justice Ministry for liquidation of the largest Belarusian human rights organization, the Public association “Human Rights Center “Viasna”. This suit was signed by Viktar Halavanaw, the Justice Minister, on 2 September.

The first sitting, “preparation to the trial”, will take place at 10 a.m. on 23 September, in the building of the Supreme Court, in Lenin Street 28. The liquidation case will be considered by V. Kulik, Judge of the Supreme Court.

The reasons for “Viasna” liquidation look quite addle and lame:

1. Violations of the accountancy rules; during the registration of the association in 1999 the association presented the documents that allegedly had no juridical force. Why then the Justice Ministry registered the organization in 1999 and ignored this fact during three (!!!) check-ups?
2. Non-payment of the dues by the association members athwart the Statute demands.
3. Violation of the demands of the electoral legislation (the Ruling of the Central Electoral Commission, dated 8 September 2001, when the observers of “Human Rights Center “Viasna” were deprived of the possibility to monitor the Presidential election).
4. Violations during creation of the regional branches and non-creation of Minsk city organization.
5. Appeal to the Supreme Court concerning representation of interests and the defense of the citizens who were not “Viasna” members.

According to the Justice Ministry, even the “Viasna” registration in 1999 was made with violations. The officials think at that time the number of founders wasn’t enough for a Republican association.

Yury Chavusaw, Head of the Collective defense system of the Assembly of NGOs of Belarus thinks that “a part of the pretensions is a result of the numerous check-ups of “Viasna” and its regional branches, while other ones are a part of the compromising materials against the organization that have been carefully collected for years. Most probably, the Justice Ministry executes the order of some other bodies. The liquidation suit is the most severe pressurization technique against NGOs. Such suit automatically results in liquidation of the NGO as courts never oppose to their ministry colleagues.”

At present it is known that at 10 a.m. on 23 September the discussion of the plaintiff and the defendant with Judge will take place. As a result of this discussion the date of the first court sitting on liquidation of the Public association “Human Rights Center “Viasna” will take place.