On 25 October the term of limitation of action has expired, so the human rights defender, against whom the Customs file a complaint with charges of disobedience to a lawful request of an official, cannot be brought to the administrative responsibility. Two months ago, on 25 August, the customs officers removed a human rights defender from the train “Vilnius-Minsk”, they have literally carried him out in order to search him without any reasons for that. Then the customs tried to accuse him of violating the law – disobeying the official’s orders. However, the two months stipulated in the legislation for bringing the administrative charges have expired.

Now the tax authorities have again started their work with Mr. Sudalenka. Previously, the tax authorities have demanded the tax declaration not only from Leanid Sudalenka, but even from his son, who at the time served in the Belarusian army.

The tax inspection summons the human rights defender on 23 November “for compilation of materials on administrative violation.” Leanid Sudalenka notified the tax authorities that he is not willing to assist them in preparation the administrative offense charges against himself.

On 9 November the tax inspector Tatsiana Haspadarava, based on the results of the inspection of the declaration of income and property, has issued an act of a desk audit, that the tax authorities have come to the conclusion that the human rights defender concealed 500 rubles (0,026 Eur) from his salary, as well as 387,000 rubles (20, 27 Eur ) that he have got from the dividends on the shares. At the same time the tax inspection asked Leanid Sudalenka to explain how and to whom he marketed the agricultural products from the sales of which he has had cash income for the declared period.

Leanid Sudalenka finds the requirement to remember to whom he has sold the onions and beets three years ago, in 2012, as absurd. “What if I asked the inspector, from whom he bought a watermelon three years ago on the market? Regarding the dividends, the inspection considers the assessed amount, while I have noted the one I have received, which means 12% of tax on dividends were already deducted. The concealment of 500 rubles from the salary is obviously a counting error, and if it has been made by another citizen, I think the tax authorities would not pay attention to it, “- said the human rights defender.

Earlier, because of the frequent problems at the border – or rather unmotivated personal searches about ninety people signed a petition to the Chairman of the Customs and Border Committees demanding an end the lawlessness against Leanid Sudalenka and Vasil Paliakou. Human rights defenders were repeatedly searched thoroughly at the state border, their laptops and other data storage devices were confiscated to search for “extremism”, they were removed from the trains and other inconveniences were raised towards them while they were returning home from abroad. The signatories of the appeal asked to stop this lawlessness.

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