De Bond van Kerstmannen gaf toe gewerkt te hebben zonder wettelijke registratie. Op 15 oktober overhandigden 15 mensenrechten activisten verkleed als Kerstman en Snegurochka de Officier van Justitie in Minsk een petitie.

De petitie stelt dat alle participanten lid zijn van een ongeregistreerde bond van kerstmannen. “We hebben oudjaarsavondfeesten georganiseerd in verschillende plaatsen in Wit Rusland, cadeautjes uitgedeeld (ook aan minderjarigen, toespraken gehouden etc.”.

Bron: charter97

According to participants of the action, they have learnt that activity on behalf of unregistered public organization is forbidden in Belarus and provides responsibility in accordance with article 193-1 of the Criminal Code. “In this respect, we decided to confess to belonging to unregistered association of Santa Clauses. We ask to give a legal evaluation of our activity,” the authors write.

The statement was signed by famous Belarusian human rights activists. In particular, Valer Shchukin said he was “ready to serve punishment for being Santa Claus”. Lawyer Yury Chavusau said article 193-1 was “absurd” and must be cancelled. Human rights activist Valyantsin Stefanovich said the action was aimed at showing inadmissibility of article 193-1 in modern society, as this article provides responsibility for any group of people.

An unknown man ion mufti tried to detain photo correspondent Uladzimir Hrydzin during the action.

The man didn’t introduced himself, grabbed Hrydzin by his jacket and said he was taking pictures of the “regime object”, the building of the General Prosecutor’s Office. The man in mufti looked through all pictures, convinced there were no photos of the building and set Hrydzin free.

We remind that under article 193-1 of the Criminal Code, remaining in effect for some years, dozens of opposition and human rights activists have been sentenced to restriction of liberty and imprisonment in Belarus.