Cassation appeal of Elena Tonkacheva to be considered February 19

The cassation appeal of the head of the "Centre for Legal Transformation" Lawtrend" Elena Tonkacheva will be considered by the judicial board on civil cases of the Minsk City Court on February 19. The human rights activist wrote it at her facebook account.

On January 22, the term of her stay in Belarus was extended for a month, until February 21. Thus, if the judicial board upholds the verdict on her expulsion, Elena will have just a day to pack her things and leave Belarus.

Let us remind that on November 5, 2014 the Pershamaiski District Police Department of Minsk ordered the human rights activist to leave Belarus within a month and forbade her to visit the country in the next three years. The basis for this decision was the registration of several violations of the speed limits by Tonkacheva's car, recorded by camcorder.

The human rights activist appealed this decision. The appeal process provides for the suspension of the expulsion order for three months – one month for appealing at each court instance. December 12, an appeal of the human rights activist was turned down by the Main Police Department of the Minsk City Executive Committee. January 13 the Pershamaiski District Court of Minsk turned down her appeal against the decision of the district police department.

The citizen of the Russian Federation Elena Tonkacheva has been living in Belarus for about 30 years. For 20 years Tonkacheva and and the Centre for Legal Transformation headed by her have been providing legal and expert assistance to NGOs in Belarus and victims of human rights abuses.