BELARUS NEWS AND ANALYSIS

DATE:

27/08/2007

Belarusian Authorities Refuse To Register Human-Rights Group And Warn Six Opposition Parties

Belarus's Justice Ministry has denied registration to the Vyasna (Spring) human-rights group, Belapan reported on August 24. The ministry explained in a statement published on its website that the charter of Vyasna does not meet the requirements specified in a law on nongovernmental organizations. In particular, the ministry said the charter "contains vague purposes and implies the opportunity for this nongovernmental organization to act for achieving purposes that are not stated in the charter." The ministry also pointed out that 20 of the 69 founders of Vyasna "have convictions for committing various administrative offenses, with some having five convictions." "This testifies to the fact that the authorities are not ready for dialogue and cooperation with independent civic groups, with human-rights defenders in Belarus," Ales Byalyatski, vice president of the International Federation for Human Rights, told the "Nasha Niva" website (http://www.nn.by). "It was difficult to expect some other outcome [of the registration bid] while there are political trials in the country." JM

The Justice Ministry has issued official warnings to six political parties, saying they failed to comply with a legal requirement for the number of registered chapters, Belapan reported on August 24. The ministry cited the provision of the law governing political parties that requires them to have a Minsk city chapter and regional-level chapters in at least four oblasts. The parties targeted by the warnings, which may lead to their suspension or closure, are the Belarusian Popular Front, the Belarusian Social Democratic Party (Hramada), the Belarusian Social Sports Party, the Belarusian Party of Greens, the Republican Party, and the Social Democratic Party of People's Concord. Vintsuk Vyachorka, leader of the Belarusian Popular Front, told Belapan that his party has the required number of chapters, but they have no legal addresses. Vyachorka added that many chapters of political parties were closed after the authorities required them to move from residential buildings to offices. He stressed that it is extremely difficult to lease an office for a political party. According to Vyachorka, the warnings are "the authorities' way of preparing for the 2008 parliamentary election," Reuters reported. JM

Source:

http://www.rferl.org/newsline/2007/08/3-cee/cee-270807.asp

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