Justice ministry rejects second registration application from Movement for Freedom
13:14, — Politics
The justice ministry has turned down a second application for registration from the Movement for Freedom, an opposition organization led by former presidential candidate Alyaksandr Milinkevich, Belapan reports.
In a statement posted on its website, the justice ministry explains that the organization’s founding conference, held on the territory of a children’s summer camp near Zaslawye, Minsk district, involved violations of the Mass Event Law.
Yury Hubarevich, a leader of the organization, slammed the justice ministry’s decision. “The Mass Event Law does not govern founding conferences for non-governmental organizations and we did not have to apply for permission [to hold the conference] to authorities. There is no such practice,” he stressed.
Mr. Hubarevich noted that the conference had been held not in “a forest” as the ministry claimed but inside an office building. “This is enough. The law does not say what space the venue should have, how many exits and windows it should have, whether this building should be in use or not,” he said.
“Of course we will appeal this decision by the justice ministry to the Supreme Court. And we will continue applying for registration. We will force authorities to explain their registration denial decisions. Moreover, we view two registration denials as a biased attitude and as a trend. This is enough for sending a complaint to the UN Human Rights Committee. And we will do this after our complaint is considered by the Supreme Court,” he warned.
This is yet another registration setback for the Movement for Freedom. The justice ministry rejected the organization’s first application for registration earlier this year, citing alleged flaws in the organization's charter as the grounds.
The Supreme Court upheld the registration denial last month.
The Movement for Freedom reportedly aims to defend human rights, participate in creating civil society in Belarus, contribute to the strengthening of the country’s independence, and contribute to free and democratic elections.
