Vitsebsk: Court Refuses to Rehabilitate Ales Dzeravianka at University

05.10.2007. Tags: administrative trials, actions, political persecution, students, expulsion.

Pershamaiski district court of Vitsebsk refused to rehabilitate a student Ales Dzeravianka at the paid form of study of the artistic-graphic faculty of Vitsebsk State University Ales Dzeravianka.

The dean’s office stated that the reason for Dzeravianka’s expulsion was a large number of missed classes. At the trial it was found that Ales Dzeravianka was watched by KGB who informed the dean’s office about his participation in mass actions including Chernobyl Way rally. Ales also disobeyed to the demand of the university authorities to vote early at the local election. On 6 June the police informed the university about his participation in a picket in support of a well-known human rights activist Valery Shchukin.

The university administration decided not to wait till the end of the trial and issued an order for his expulsion. However, they did not observe the necessary formalities. Even the prosecutor had to apply to the judge Natallia Brouka for making a private admonition to the university administration for bad office work and demanding money for a an expulsion certificate. This information was voiced at the trial.

A special peculiarity of the case is that the university authorities failed to present the protocol of the appropriate sitting of the student trade union committee and that in all university documents Dzeravianka was denied membership in BRSM (pro-governmental ‘state NGO’, Belarusian National Youth Union) despite the fact that he had been its member at school.

Ales Dzeravianka thusly commented on the court refusal to rehabilitate him at the university: ‘I was not surprised. In fact, there is no difference for me as I am already a student of European Humanities University. I only want to get the justice restored.’

That’s why Ales is going to appeal against the court verdict to all court instances.