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Authorities move to close down rights group

The Minsk City Economic Court held a preliminary hearing on Monday to consider the tax authorities' suit seeking the closure of a prisoners' rights group called Platforma.

The tax office of the Savetski district in Minsk brought the suit after imposing two fines on Platforma this past summer. The group was penalized in July for allegedly missing a deadline for submitting papers and was slapped with another fine the following month for its failure to notify the tax office of its alleged move to a new office.

"In fact all these accusations are sheer stupidity, these are fabricated facts. First, we have kept and will keep the office at our legal address. As for the profit tax report, it has been submitted and we have already been punished, we have been fined one million rubels," said Platforma leader Andrey Bandarenka.

He said that the organization was facing closure because it was getting in the way of authorities. "We all live in Belarus and understand that if it is not the tax office that is behind the suit, then it is either the KGB or the interior ministry. We will be closed down irrespective of whether there are any grounds for that if they want that," the activist said.

He linked the case to "the work done by our organization, including assistance to ordinary citizens of Belarus, which irks authorities so much." "They understand that Platforma's work can earn us prominence and public support, which is not in the government's plans," Mr. Bandarenka said.

The court will hold the next hearing on September 6. //BelaPAN