Sudalenka: Impression Is That There Is Emergency Situation In Country

Punishment with fines for distribution of printed material, which we have been witnessing lately, is not provided for any of the Belarusian laws.

In connection with the statement of the UCP about the ban on distribution of printed materials, the well-known human rights activist, the Head of the UCP Legal Affairs Committee Leanid Sudalenka comments on the situation to ucpb.org site.

– The right to freedom of opinion and expression, guaranteed to each of us by the Fundamental Law – the Constitution and international agreements, includes the right to freely impart information and ideas, – the human rights activist says. – Any limitation of this right should be stated in the law in the first place. Charging huge fines for distribution of printed material, which we have been witnessing lately, is not provided for any of the Belarusian laws.

Situation when the courts equal the distribution of information materials to unsanctioned actions, indicates that there’s an emergency situation in the country and for this reason it suspends the right to freedom of opinion and expression. It would be normal, – Leanid Sudalenka says – if this state of emergency was announced and it was explained what had caused it and how long it would last. However, this was not done.