The Human Rights House Foundation has sent a letter to the  Prosecutor of Vitebsk Region and asked to dismiss the accusations brought against the human rights defender Paval Levinau from Vitebsk. In the letter HRH F asked the Belarusian authorities to stop the violation of freedom of expression and association, and the right to be a human rights defender. (28-MAR-08)
                                                                      

                                                  STATEMENT
The Human Rights House Foundation asks the Prosecutor of Vitebsk Region to dismiss the accusations brought against Paval Levinau. Mr. Levinau, member of the Belarusian Helsinki Committee, is a prominent human rights defender known for his active work for human rights and freedoms in the Vitebsk region of Belarus. From the 3-6 March 2008 Pavel Levinau participated at the study visit to the Council of Europe in Strasbourg invited by the Directorate General of Human Rights and Legal Affairs of the Council of Europe.

March 27th , Paval Levinau was detained and accused of art. 17.1 and art. 23.4 of the Code of the Administrative Offences. The reason is that he was at the place where KGB officers conducted a search of the journalist Aleh BarshcheuskiLs apartment in Vitebsk.  Being at the location Paval Levinau carried out his duty as a human rights defender to monitor the state representatives´ actions.

Paval Levinau arrived soon after KGB had started the search. The policemen used force to prevent Mr. Levinau from entering the building and accused the human rights defender of using foul language and disobey orders from police. The court hearing was set to March 28th, but due to Paval Levinau´s health conditition, the court hearing was postponed to April 3rd . March 28th,  Paval Levinau handed in his complaint against the policemen´s actions and accusation to the prosecutor office in Vitebsk. 

Human Rights House Foundation asks the Belarusian authorities to respect their international commitments concerning human rights defenders stated in the UN Declaration on the Right and Responsibility of Individuals, Groups and Organs of Society to Promote and Protect Universally Recognized Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms: “Everyone has the right, individually and in association with others, to promote and to strive for the protection and realization of human rights and fundamental freedoms at the national and international levels”. We ask you to stop the violation of freedom of expression and association, and the right to be a human rights defender. Hence, the Human Rights House Foundation asks the Prosecutor of Vitebsk Region to dismiss the accusations brought against Paval Levinau.

Sincerely Yours,

Maria Dahle
Executive Director
Human Rights House Foundation

The letter is sent to
Prosecutor´s Office of Vitebsk
Vitebsk region,210601, ul Zestkova, 14„p, Vitebsk,
fax:0375 212 47-73-27,00375 212 47-64-44
Belarus

The General Prosecutor´s Office of the Republic of Belarus
Mr Vasilevich G.A.,220050 Internacionalnaja 22, Minsk
Tel. 00375 17 2264360; 00375 17 2264358
Belarus

The Ministry of Internal Affairs
Mr Naumov V.V., Ul. Gorodskoj Val, 2
fax 00-0172-22-73-06