Catholic construction workers forced to work on Christmas

A human rights activist Raman Kislak from Brest received information that the employees of Brest’s Stroytrest number 8 were forced to work on 25 December.

“The organization announced that 25 December 2013 was a working day instead of a day off on 8 January 2014. Some departments of the organization stated there was the respective order, while others stated there would be a working day without a respective order”, - Raman Kislak shared with the pyx.by web-site.

According to the human rights activist, many Catholics and Protestants are employed at the organization, who celebrate Christmas on 25 December: “People are very disappointed, they worry. Families are waiting for them at home. They have been preparing for the main religious holiday”.

In this regard Raman Kislak wrote a letter to commissioner for religious and ethnicity issues, Prosecutor General and the Minister of Architecture and Construction.

“I deem it outrageous and violating basic rights of citizens that people are forced to work on the day. It is a blatant discrimination of their religious sentiment. Such actions of the organization’s management may lead to a religious confrontation, because Orthodox Christians will have a day off on their Christmas, while the Catholics and Protestants have to work”, - the activist of the Movement for Freedom says in his appeal.

The human rights activist demands to cancel the arbitrary and illegal orders to have a working day on 25 December 2013.