REP Trade Union Successfully Achieves Abolition Of Decision To Expel Russian Citizen From Belarus

In Khoiniki, he has a wife and two minor children.

On August 20, the judicial board on civil cases of the Homel regional court canceled the decisions of the Khoiniki District Department of Internal Affairs and the district court to expel 40-year-old citizen of the Russian Federation Sergei Rezchik from Belarus for 10 years, reports Homel Spring.

Sergei Rezchik was born in Khoiniki, lived in Russia in the 90s, thus automatically having acquired the Russian citizenship. Then he returned to his homeland, created a family, is bringing up two minor children. His wife and children are Belarusians. Sergey has an apartment in Khoiniki, a steady job with a stable income.

In April 2019, the Khoiniki District Department of Internal Affairs decided to deport Sergey from Belarus for a maximum possible period of 10 years - for administrative offenses. The man admitted drunk driving. In addition, he was held liable for transporting a child in a car without a child seat, as well as for crossing the street in an unspecified place. These offenses became the reason for such a severe sanction as expulsion from the country.

Sergei Rezchik applied for legal assistance to the Homel representative office of the Viasna human rights center. Together with the independent REP trade union, human rights defenders prepared a complaint to the Homel Regional Court.

Human rights activist Leanid Sudalenka, who represented the interests of the deportee in the regional court, was pleased with the result of the lawsuit.

“The decisions on the expulsion of foreign citizens permanently residing in our country are applied without taking into account the interests of their families and the interests of minor children. In addition, it is extremely unpleasant to hear questions from people in the robes of judges why the deportee does not accept Belarusian citizenship. I emphasize that each person chooses citizenship, like religion, for themselves. This choice must be respected! ”, the human rights activist said afterwards.

He also noted that this is not the first victory of human rights defenders in cases of expulsions of foreign citizens. On February 7, the Homel Regional Court abolished the decision to expel from Belarus 40-year-old citizen of Ukraine Sergey Protsenko, who lives in Buda-Koshaleva.

On August 8, the appellate court of the Homel Regional Court upheld the decision of the Buda-Koshaleva District Court on the expulsion of resident of the Hubichy agro-town Vladimir Trauter. A Russian with a residence permit was expelled from the country for five years in the interests of public order. Also, the regional court is about to consider the complaint of 66-year-old citizen of Ukraine Volodymyr Landar, who was deported from the country for violating the order of stay of foreign citizens in Belarus.