Henadz Fiadynich Charged And Taken Written Undertaking Not To Leave Place

The leader of the REP independent trade union might face up to seven years of imprisonment.

Henadz Fiadynich, the REP trade union leader, has been charged under the Part 2 of the Article 243 of the Criminal Code – "Evasion from payment of taxes in an especially large amount." Previously, he was a suspect in the case. Also, he had to give to the Investigative Committee a written undertaking not to leave the place. Henadz Fiadynich informed Svaboda about that.

We remind that on August 2, 2017, the Department of Financial Investigation of the State Control Committee of Belarus conducted a search and seized computers and financial documents from the office of the REP trade union. REP trade union chairman Henadz Fiadynich and Ihar Komlik, the accountant, were detained. Henadz Fiadynich was interrogated and released, and Komlik was sent to a temporary detention facility at first, and 3 days later, – to the remand prison No. 1.

On August 10, Ihar Komlik was charged under the Part 2 of the Article 243 ("Evasion from payment of taxes in an especially large amount"). The measure of restraint to Komlik hasn’t been changed – he is still in prison. Fiadynich and Komlik might face 3 to 7 years of imprisonment.

On August 3, human rights organizations of Belarus recognized Ihar Komlik as a political prisoner. According to human rights activists, the criminal case against trade unionists is politically motivated, has to do with active trade union activities and the peaceful exercise of the right to freedom of association.

The Global Union IndustriALL and the International Trade Union Confederation supported trade union leaders and called on the Belarusian authorities to stop the persecution of Henadz Fiadynich and Ihar Komlik.