27 May, 2010On May 18 the police conducted a search of the REPAM office in Brest, Belarus, and seized a notebook computer and computer cases. Following the search the office was sealed. The IMF calls on affiliates to send letters of protest to the Presidential Administration and the General Procurator's Office of the Republic of Belarus.
BELARUS: On May 18 police lieutenant O.O. Stepanchuk opened the office of the Belarusian union of workers of the radio-electronic industry (REPAM) for the Brest region, the premises of which are leased by the union at the address of ul. 17 sentyabrya, Brest.
During the search of the premises, in addition to documents, various items of office equipment were seized: computers and a notebook belonging to permanent employees of the union staff and used for the purposes of the union. Following the search the office was sealed.
Employees of the office were not invited to be present at the search and were not able to provide any explanations. The organization's safe was opened in the absence of the office's employees and documents were seized.
REPAM strongly protests the illegal acts of the Brest police and demands that the office equipment seized be returned to the union.
REPAM has on many occasions been subjected to persecution by the Belarusian authorities. In 2000 a complaint was submitted to the ILO for violations of trade union rights in Belarus. Representatives of REPAM declared that they retain the right to add the illegal search to ILO case no. 2090 concerning violation of trade union rights in Belarus.
These outrageous acts by the Belarusian authorities must not go unanswered. The IMF calls upon its member organizations to send letters of protest to the Presidential Administration and the General Procurator's Office of the Republic of Belarus:
Presidential Administration: + 375 17 2260610 (fax)
General Procurator's Office: +375 17 3285727 (tel/fax)
Please send copies of your letters to the IMF regional office for the CIS countries in Moscow: +7(495) 974-16-22 (fax).