Department of Financial Investigations Brings Criminal Case against Head and Accountant of Belarusian Helsinki Committee

The Department of Financial Investigations has initiated a criminal case against the head of Belarusian Helsinki Committee Tatsiana Protska and its accountant Tatsiana Rudkevich for alleged non-payment of 78 million rubles to tax organs.

Some time ago the organization was checked-up by a tax inspection. As a result, BHC was obliged to pay 375 million rubles and surchange.

In his interview to RFE/RL the BHC correspondent Hary Pahaniayla said that BHC workers disagreed with the decision of the Department of Financial Investigations.

-- We worked on TACIS grants that were freed from taxation by governmental decision. In our case they decided that we are to pay taxes. We complained against it to the appropriate tax organ. Despite that, the Department of Financial Investigations brought a criminal case. There are no light punishments in the case of large-scale violations. In such cases investigation bodies usually bring cases against heads and main accountants.

Hary Pahaniayla said that BHR representatives would complain against the ruling of the Department of Financial Investigations.