Last year numerous youth activists were crossed out from the list of students. This practice still continues. Human rights activists believe that the isolation of an active student and political activist Zmitser Zhaleznichenka by deprival of the right to education and forced recruitment to army demonstrate the real attitude of the authorities to public activists. (9-FEB-08)

According to http://nn.by and http://www.spring96.org/

Among the recently expelled there are Anton Kalinouski, Katsiaryna Salauyova and Zmitser Zhaleznichenka, the fate of Franak Viachorka is being decided. For Belarusian youth Zmitser Zhaleznichenka, an A-level student of the mathematic faculty of Homel State University, is an example of struggle for one’s right to education. Being the vice-chairman of Homel office of the BPF Youth (youth wing of the Belarusian People’s Front), he was twice expelled from the university for his public activities and political views and twice rehabilitated.

Expelled from Homel University
On 7 September the third-year student Zmitser Zhaleznichenka was expelled from Homel State University named after F.Skaryna for the first time. The reason for the expulsion was his refusal to give written explanation for missing ten classes without a good excuse. Another reason was that on 9 August 2007 the Economic Court of Home oblast found him guilty of ‘illegal business activity’ for distribution of tickets to a concert of Belarusian bards. The authorities started the pressure of Zmitser after organization of the concert. Usually Belarusian bands play in private apartments, because Lukashenka’s regime creates different kinds of obstacles to such concerts. On 12 September the order for expulsion was handed to Zhaleznichenka by the dean of his faculty.

Sent to the army
Zmitser did not agree with the expulsion order and warned the dean’s office that he would apply to court. The following day, on 17 January, he was detained by the police at a bus stop in Homel. They said he ‘resembled a wanted rapist’. Then the accusations in rape were removed from him. Instead the policemen accused him of resistance during the detention and dirty swearing. On 18 June judge Maryna Damnenka sentenced the activist to eight days of jail. Zmitser went on a hunger-strike of protest. If he cannot be expelled, he can be called up to the army instead

On 19 October Zhaleznichenka was summonsed to Homel city military enlistment office. The same day the Ministry of Education, to which he complained against the university administration, upheld his expulsion. On 16 January Viktar Kazachok, a judge of Tsentralny district court of Homel, reversed the order of the rector of Homel state university of 7 September 2007 on Zhaleznichenka’s expulsion and obliged the educational establishment to rehabilitate the student at the place of study after the verdict comes into legal force. The following day the rector issued an order for Zmitser’s return to the university. A week later, the professional committee of students is gathered to confirm the lawfulness of Zmitser’s expulsion. Rector immediately signs the order for repeated expulsion of the student and sends it to Homel city military enlistment office. The latter one starts preparing the documents for calling Zhaleznichenka up to military service.

Zmitser Zhaleznichenka declared a termless hunger-strike against the illegal expulsion of the university and forced direction to army service. On 1 February the court of Savetski district of Homel issued a particular decision on cessation of calling up Zmitser Zhaleznichenka to military service because of violation of the procedure. Meanwhile, Homel oblast and city military enlistment offices refuse to implement the court decision about cessation of the procedure. That’s why, despite the court verdict, the opposition activist Zhaleznichenka is still kept in an army unit.

Human rights activists believe that the isolation of an active student and political activist Zmitser Zhaleznichenka by deprival of the right to education and forced recruitment to army eloquently demonstrate the real attitude of the authorities to public activists.