Zmitser Zhaleznichenka Expelled from Homel State University for Political Reasons

The dean of the mathematic faculty of Frantsishak Skaryna Homel State University has passed to Zmitser Zhaleznichenka, a third-year student with an excellent progress, an excerpt from the order of the rector Aliaksandr Rahachou to expel him from the university because of ‘regular violation of the internal regulations’.

The student was not invited to the sitting o the presidium of the student trade union at which his fate was decided. He does not know the content of the dean Zhohal’s report either. 

The average mark for all the exams passed by Zhaleznichenka in the university is 9, 10 being the maximum. He even received an enhanced scholarship for his excellent progress. Last year he missed only 20 hours of classes and received a reprimand for it. Some of the students miss more than 100 hours, though 60 hours is enough for being expelled for truancy. 

‘I think that the real reason for my expulsion from the university is my active public position. That’s why I will sue against the rector’s order,’ Zhaleznichenka commented.

Bear in mind that during the last years Zmitser Zhaleznichenka really participated in numerous youth actions in defense of the Belarusian language, culture and sovereignty and in actions of solidarity with the missing politicians as well. He was many times summonsed to Homel oblast KGB office for ‘prophylactic talks’.

This summer Zmitser Zhaleznichenka participated in the organization of a concert of the Belarusian bards and was fined 310 000 rubles (about 144 US dollars) for alleged illegal business activity.