EaP CSF statement of solidarity with Belarusan human rights defender Elena Tonkacheva

Steering Committee of EaP CSF expresses deep concern following the decision of Belarusan authorities to cancel the residence permit and deport for 3 years the chair of the Legal Transformation Center.

Since 1985, Elena Tonkacheva, citizen of the Russian Federation, has been living in Belarus where she finished school, received higher jurisprudential education, has a permanent residence and a job, family and property. We know Elena Tonkacheva as an active figure of civil society of Belarus, qualified expert, and leader of a human rights defending organisation. For 20 years, she and her organization have rendered professional legal and expert support to numerous non-commercial organisations in Belarus and people in situations when human rights have been infringed. The formal basis for the abolition of the residence permit is the fact that Elena Tonkacheva broke traffic regulations (she insignificantly exceeded the speed limit).

We believe that the decision to cancel the residence permit and to expel her from the territory of the country is a politically motivated and disproportionate sanction in comparison with the danger of the committed misdoing. The real basis for this decision is Elena Tonkacheva’s political position and active human rights defending activity.

Therefore:

1) We address to the EU Office in Belarus, diplomatic missions of the EU countries and the USA, the UN Office in Belarus, other international organisations and structures, with the request to provide any possible support to Elena Tonkacheva and to stop the process of extraditing the human rights defender;

2) We address to civil societies of the countries of the Eastern Partnership and the EU countries with the request to demonstrate active solidarity with Elena Tonkacheva;

3) We also address participants of the Civil Society Forum to demonstrate solidarity by:

- signing and sending by post the petition to the Citizenship and Migration Department of the Municipal Department of Internal Affairs of the Minsk City Executive Committee and the Citizenship and Migration Department of the Pieršamajski Regional Office of Internal Affairs of Minsk with the request not to expel Elena Tonkacheva from Belarus and to renew her residence permit (sample: http://www.lawtrend.org/wp-content/uploads/2014/1...

- singing the petition by fax: the Citizenship and Migration Department of the Municipal Department of Internal Affairs of the Minsk City Executive Committee - fax 8-17 331-81-68, the Citizenship and Migration Department of the Pieršamajski Regional Office of Internal Affairs of Minsk - fax 8-17 280-01-62;

Full Statement

Eastern Partnership Civil Society Forum