Belarus court refuses to reinstate student expelled for political activities :: Charter'97 :: News

A judge of the Zhodzina city court [Minsk Region] on Monday [19 September] dismissed an appeal by the parents of a 17-year-old opposition activist who sought to have their son readmitted to a local technical school.

Syarhey Murashka was expelled from the Zhodzina Polytechnic School shortly after his arrest during an antigovernment demonstration in April.

The case drew media attention after Murashka, joined by 10 other youths, went on hunger strike in late May to demand an end to the practice of expelling students for their political views.
"I consider this ruling by the Zhodzina city court to be unlawful," Murashka`s attorney, Pavel Sapelka, told Belapan. "A student may be expelled only after the case is heard by a panel on juvenile offenders. The order to expel Murashka had been signed before a decision by the panel was made. Apart from this, in my view, Murashka did not routinely violate discipline in the school."

Murashka`s parents plan to appeal against the ruling to the Minsk regional court.