Brest HR defender vs. forced fingerprinting

Brest Leninski District Court has dismissed a complaint by local human rights lawyer Raman Kisliak against illegal actions by the Interior Ministry and Brest Leninski District Department of Internal Affairs, as well as a police inspector who reportedly coerced the activist to fingerprinting, Radio Racyja reports.

“I believe that I don’t have to undergo fingerprinting; they simply have no grounds for that. I think that the amendment of the Fingerprinting Code, forcing every person liable for military service to give one’s prints, is illegal,” says Raman Kisliak.

According to the human rights defender, the authorities used the 2008 Minsk terrorist attack as a pretext for controlling opponents of the regime through forced fingerprinting.

Mr. Kisliak says he is going to appeal the verdict at Brest Regional Court.