Ideological pressure exerted upon public activist :: Charter'97 :: News

The administrative pressure exerted upon Gomel activist Mikalai Kalyuka resulted in his recalling the signature under the application for a picket, which is to be held in Gomel 26 April. As friend of the United Civil Party Mikalai Kalyuka reported to the Radio Svaboda the pressure started immediately after the application had been submitted.

Thus, they kept phoning the upper management, the deputy director responsible for ideology for their subordinate Kalyuka to recall his signature. The activist added that they phoned him at home and strongly recommended to recall his signature. Finally, the activist submitted his application to Katsila, head of the Gomel Regional Ideological Department. In the application Kalyuka refused to be the initiator of the Chernobyl picket.

When Maria Bagdanovich, organizer of the 26 April’s picket, learned about things happened to Mikalai Kalyuka, she paid a personally visit to the ideological boss. At their meeting the woman told Katsila that he wouldn’t manage to break the event even if she remained the only applicant. According to Bagdanovich, Katsila totally objected his participation in pressing upon Kalyuka. The chief ideologist directed the activist to the deputy head of the City Council Syargei Paroshin for him to answer all the questions.