On 25 November Tatsiana Khoma, fourth-year student of the international economic relations department of Belarusian State Economic University, found out she was expelled for participation in international student movement, the formal reason being trip to France. Ms. Khoma believes this very fact became the real reason for her expulsion from the university: -The political motivation here is evident for me, she said. (3-DEC-05)
Students can leave the borders of Belarus only on permission of the Ministry of Education. It is stated in the Presidential Decree “On certain measures to counteract human trafficking”. However, not all students receive the permission to go abroad. In the case they risk to go without, unpleasant surprises await them on return home… Even expels from educational establishments, as it happened to Tatsiana Khoma.
On 25 November Tatsiana Khoma, fourth-year student of the international economic relations department of Belarusian State Economic University, found out she was expelled for participation in international student movement, the formal reason being trip to France.
In the order for her expel it stated that Tatsiana Khoma grossly violated the internal rules of the university by traveling abroad without the permission of the university administration. The administration referred to “complicated political situation and proclamation of the state of emergency in the cities of France” because of which “the deed of the student Tatsiana Khoma could have unpredictable tragic results”.
On 11 November in the French city of Reims Tatsiana Khoma was chosen to the government of the largest European student organization – National Students Unions of Europe (ESIB). She became the first persons from the Eastern Europe who occupied such position. Ms. Khoma believes this very fact became the real reason for her expulsion from the university:
— The political motivation here is evident for me, — she said.
— A student can be expelled from a higher educational establishment for systematic violations of internal regulations. Tatsiana had no reprimands or warnings. Single violation of the internal regulations can’t serve as a legal ground for expulsion. Moreover, the case of Tatsiana Khoma doesn’t violate the presidential decree and the ensuing orders of the Ministry of Education concerning the permissive order for foreign travels, because the aim of her visit to France was neither study nor work. Nobody has stopped the action of the Constitution article that guarantees the right of citizens to free movement all over the country, the right to leave it and return back. That’s why the order for expulsion of Tatsiana Khoma can be considered unconstitutional, — stated the lawyer of HRC Viasna Valiantsin Stefanovich.
Tatsiana Khoma and her defense lawyer Pavial Sapielka directed a complaint to the Ministry of Education and also plan to complain to court.
Students from different parts of Belarus propose to hold actions of student solidarity and start collecting signatures in support of Tatsiana Khoma and against pressurization of students in Belarus. It’s worth mentioning that many international student and human rights organizations have already expressed their support to the illegally expelled student.
