Homel human rights defender Anatol Paplauny loses job

Homel human rights defender Anatol Paplauny will be fired from work “in connection with the termination of the employment contract,” which was signed by the employee a year ago.

He has worked as a toolmaker at a private enterprise called “Vipra” for five years, and he has not received any penalties during the period, which is noted in the statement of resignation. “Thank you for your diligent work,” writes the company’s manager Ihar Shchyhelski.

"In our country, as we can see, they do not need diligent work, but political loyalty, and then you will have good job for many years. For four years I had worked at Vipra, and I had no problems. But a year ago, a new manager appeared and ordered that I should be contracted for one year, while before that, I, like most of the staff, were working on open-ended employment contracts. Moreover, in a sincere private conversation, the manager told me that he was doing so at the request or order of the KGB. He explained to me that he just wanted to continue working there, and not to have troubles because of me,” says Anatol Paplauny.

The human rights activist has been repeatedly brought to administrative responsibility. In the summer of 2011, during a series of silent protests, he was sentenced to 15 days of administrative arrest. He took an active part in monitoring the elections.