Dismissed activists from Babruisk fined for hunger strike

Activists of the Free Belarusian Trade Union were fined 1,050,000 rubles each by the court of Babruisk and the Babruisk district.

Mikalai Zhybul, Aleh Shauchenka, Aliaksandr Varankin and Aliaksandr Hramyka were accused of violating part 1 of article 23.34 of the Code of Administrative Offences (violating the order of holding meetings, rallies, processions, demonstrations and pickets) for their hunger strike on November 5-14 against the decision to fire them from the Babruisk Plant of Tractor Parts an Units. The workers claim they were fired for their membership in the Free Trade Union, BelaPAN reports.

They do not agree with the court decision and refuse to admit their guilt. “The state tries to replenish its budget at the cost of the unemployed people who were seeking justice. We didn't do anything wrong. We just wanted to be reinstated at work,” Varankin said. “No one wants people to have their own views. The state wants everyone to have the same thoughts, though everyone has the rights to his own point of view. I find the court decision unfair.”

The activists consider whether they should appeal against the court decision. They plan to continue seeking their reinstatement at the plant. “Our aim was to get reinstated. Maybe, we will appeal to the International Labour Organisation. We began this process, so we must move on,” Varankin said.

According to him, the fired workers cannot find a good job at state-run enterprises. “They see that my working experience is 17 years at the plant, agree to employ me and promise to call me later, but never do it,” Varankin said. He thinks employers do not want to hire the trade union activists after talk with managers of the plant of tractor parts.

The workers' hunger strike and their appeal to the head of state didn't give results. The activists sent an open letter to Aliaksandr Lukashenka on October 16. The asked the president to sort out the situation at the plant, where managers fire experienced workers for their membership in the Free Trade Union.