Wave of liquidations and suspensions of Belarusian political parties

Belarusian authorities have begun preparations for the parliamentary elections campaign 2008 beforehand by liquidation and suspension of the political parties. For the last two months the Ministry of Justice has given warnings to six political parties. While the activity of the Party of Communists of Belarus has been suspended for six months by the Supreme Court, the Labour Party was liquidated and the women’s party ‘Nadzeya’ Faces liquidation. (06-SEP-07)

based on www.charter97.org, www.spring96.org 

 A preliminary meeting of the sides of the trial at the Supreme Court of Belarus will take place on 12 September. ‘The suit of the Ministry consists of 7 pages where all our sins since 2002 are described. In 2007 we really received a warning from the Ministry for the participation in a conference on establishment of the Union of Left Forces in Chernihiv, Ukraine. The Ministry has also sent to us its pretensions to our branches. We have responded all these pretensions in conformity with the legislation and have  informed the Ministry of the taken measures. By the way, the suit does not mention that the party has any warnings,’ commented the leader of the party Alena Yaskova.

The Ministry of Justice asks the Supreme Court to liquidate the party referring the same article  of the Civil Code under which the Labor Party has been recently liquidated. ‘This article states that juridical bodies can be liquidated for violations. In the Civil Code it is stated that this article can be used in the case of absence of a special law for regulation of the activity of a juridical body. There is a special law on political parties, so this article can not be used… The suit also refers to article 32 (it is not even said that this is an article of the law on political parties) where the legal reasons for liquidating a party are determined. Our party does not fall under any of these reasons,’ says Yaskova.

Party of Communists Belarusian Suspension
On 2 August the Supreme Court of Belarus suspended the activity of the Party of Communists Belarusian for 6 months. The verdict came into force immediately and can not be appealed. The judge stated that the party was permitted to continue only the activities which were aimed at correction of the defects which were mentioned in the suit of the Ministry of Justice. Commenting the verdict of the Supreme Court to RFE/RL, the head of the party Siarhei Kaliakin stated that it would by no means influence the public activity of the people who belong to the Party of Communists  Belarusian.

Warnings to Six Political Parties
At the end of August 2007 the Ministry of Justice has submitted a warning to Zialionyia (Green) Belarusian Party, Belarusian Social-Democratic Party (Hramada), Belarusian Popular Front Party (BPF), the Social Democratic Party of People’s Consent, Belarusian Social Sportive Party and the Republican Party. According to the declaration of the Ministry of Justice, it is stipulated by the law that the political parties must have the Minsk city structure and regional structures in no less than four regions. The  ministry declares that despite of the warnings and requirements the above-mentioned parties have not created the required number of organizational structures, yet. If they continue ignoring the law, the issue may be raised on suspension of their activities or on their termination by the court judgment.

The BPF Party objects to the ministry‘s resolution. ‘We regard the fact from the political and not legal viewpoint. I consider the preparation for parliamentary elections is underway. We attempted to register our organizational structures in the Hrodna and Homel regions but the local authorities put pressure upon the premises owners and we could not provide the domiciles .Thus, it is as if in the ‘vicious circle’ – they demand registration and at the same time interfere with it. The given warning totally complies with the authorities’ strategy of political campaigns. On the eve of the parliamentary elections of 2004 the public organizations and human rights centers were terminated. The same thing happened in 2001. This time the first signal was given by terminating activities of the Party of Communists Belarusian. Now the turn of other three parties has come,’ commented the chairman of the legal commission of the BPF Party Uladzimir Labkovich.

Over 2006-2007 period that is the third warning made to the BPF Party and the party faces the real threat of its termination.