Requirements to stop persecution of students for dissent in Gomel

• 24.01.2008, 10:57

Representatives of the united democratic forces of the Gomel Area sent an open letter to Alyaksandr Ragachou, dean of F. Skaryna Gomel State University with a requirement to annul an order of expelling student Zmiter Zhaleznichenka on 23 January.

BelaPAN reminds, an A student Zhaleznichenka was expelled on 7 September, 2007. He is a deputy head of the public organisation “Talaka” and a deputy head of the area organisation of the youth wing of the Belarusian Popular Front “Youth of BPF.” The activist thinks his expel from the university was politically motivated.

The former student appealed to courts of different instances against the dean’s order. The court of Tsentralny district cancelled the order of the dean and compelled the university to allow Zhaleznichenka to continue study. Z. Zhaleznichenka was reinstated on 18 January, but on 22 January the dean expelled him again “for violation of internal regulations, disobedience to dean’s order and breach of the agreement between the university and the trade union committee.”