Russian Presidential Council for Human Rights asked Foreign Ministry to support Elena Tonkacheva

Chairman of the Council Mikhail Fedotov drew attention to the “obvious inadequacy of the sanctions used by the Belarusan authorities for minor offence”.

Mikhail Fedotov, Chairman of the Presidential Council for Civil Society and Human Rights appealed to the leadership of the Russian Foreign Ministry to provide urgent support to Elena Tonkacheva, a Russian citizen, human rights defendant, who faces the danger to be deported from Belarus, where she has been residing permanently.

As “EuroBelarus” Information Service earlier reported, on October 30 Elena Tonkacheva, the head of the Legal Transformation Center “Lawtrend”, received the notice of cancellation of the residence permit and consideration of her expulsion from Belarus.

“On October 30 she was notified about the annulment of the residence permit, for… traffic violation (speeding), and as early as on November 5 the question of her expulsion will be decided, - says the appeal of the Presidential Council for Civil Society and Human Rights. – The obvious inadequacy of the sanctions used by the Belarusan authorities for minor offence suggests that the real motive for the expulsion of a Russian citizen is Elena Tonkacheva’s human rights activity. The fact that Elena has a family, a job, an apartment, personal and professional connections in Belarus didn’t stop the authorities, likewise the fact that our countries form the Union State, and citizens of our countries have equal rights”.

The Council requests the Russian Foreign Ministry to provide Elena Tonkacheva with all necessary support, protection and patronage, as stipulated by Article 61 of the Constitution of the Russian Federation.

Let us recall that the consideration of Elena Tonkacheva’s compulsory expulsion is assigned for November 5.