The UN Committee for Human Rights recognized as illegal the administrative punishment inflicted on the human rights activist and journalist Uladzimir Vialichkin, and called on the Belarusian authorities not to violate the rights of their citizens.

22.12.2005.

Uladzimir Vialichkin, a human rights activist from Brest, received a response (dated 22 November 2005) to his individual application, where he requested legal evaluation of the court ruling that fined him 20 basic units.
On the International Day of Human Rights (December 10, 2000) Mr. Vialichkin handed out to Brest residents an official document – the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, which resulted in him being detained by the police and him spending 24 hours in the police station. The report was made by terms of Article 167 and 167 CAV, and the following day Leninski Borough Court ruled that the human rights activist be fined 20 basic units. Uladzimir Vialichkin did not agree to the verdict passed and filed protests with higher courts of Belarus, which, however, did not reverse the court ruling. Then he applied to the Committee of Human Rights, requesting that evaluation of this case be provided.
The Committee of Human Rights in Geneva examined the materials of the case of the Belarusian human rights activist and came to the conclusion that the official authorities had violated the human rights and the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (paragraphs 19.2 and 21 – the right to opinion and distribution of information, the freedom of peaceful assembly). The Committee sent an official letter to the governmental authorities, requesting that the authorities take efficient measures to right the wrong, including reimbursement of the fine and also other payments incurred by Uladzimir Vialichkin, and report on the progress within 90 days. Also, the Committee calls on the Belarusian authorities not to violate human and civil rights in the future.

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