Expelled from Minsk me very politely

Ukrainian human rights activist, civil liberties, the Center Coordinator Alexander Romantsovain Minsk notified for inclusion in the list of persons whose entry into the Republic of Belarus is prohibited or undesirable.

Aleksandra Romantsova said in an interview Gromadska radіo how and why it was expelled from Belarus.

Michael Kukin: You handed the document that you are in Minsk – persona non grata. Tell me how it was.

Alexander Romantsova: In Belarus, it was a document that a citizen of Ukraine Alexander Romantsova informed about what is included in the list of persons whose entry into the Republic of Belarus is forbidden or undesirable, but also warned of the obligation to leave the territory of the Republic of Belarus until 16 March. I had a ticket for the 15th of March. Thus they even saved, because if a person deported, the country should ensure its removal.

Michael Kukin: That is not expelled, but simply warned: “Do not come.”

Alexander Romantsova: Yes. They were very nervous. Asked: “Do not want you to stay” at 17:15 I had a plane, and the 17:30 rally “nedarmoedov” was appointed in Minsk.

Michael Kukin: It’s mass protests against the decree number 3 on which are going to prosecute disabled people.

Alexander Romantsova: Or not working informal jobs. While I was sitting in the airport, I noticed a thorough video processing – “You want to be a coach? You want to be the master of ceremonies at weddings? That’s the way you talk about it to warn his tax inspector. That’s how you have to pay taxes. “

Michael Kukin: So register an entrepreneur …

Alexander Romantsova: There’s no private entrepreneurs. I suspect that my expulsion was connected with this as well. Under the same restrictions was a human rights activist Maria Yasinovskaya from Kharkov and Sergei Zhadan.

Michael Kukin: You said you were in the list of undesirable persons. You explain why?

Alexander Romantsova: It is unclear who included me in the list – the FSB or the Interior Ministry.

Michael Kukin: It is important to say that it is not they, that they refer to Russia, saying that it is a federal state.

Alexander Romantsova: Yes. First I flew to Minsk. This is my first visit to Minsk. Until then, I Belarus, Gomel, was in early childhood. Through the Minsk airport, I usually fly in Russia. Now for me, this path is closed. That is when I first came in Minsk. It was at the invitation of UNDP, which carried out an excellent presentation of the results of the “Test for Citizenship” in Belarus, Moldova and Ukraine. I was there to serve as experts and arrived in Minsk to the presentation of the part that dealt with Belarus. March 14, when I came, I was afraid that I may not be allowed. I was allowed. I spent the night night, and everything was normal. But we learn in the morning that the circulation of these studies were seized at the border. The organizers have got off fairly easily. Because there have been and experts related to human rights. That is, it is something that has never loved in Minsk. At the moment, When our presentation was already over, I went up to the front desk at the hotel to move out. To me very politely, almost in the format of “excuse me please, not allowed to appeal to you?”, Turning the two young men. Of course, they were not in uniform, but it was evident that this security officers. I even had time to sniff at them, “Wait, I’m done here.” They politely waited for me, and then say: “Did you know that you are prohibited from entering Russia?” In order to understand, the last time I was in Russia in winter 2016, in December. I spent training in St. Petersburg at the invitation of the “Civil Control” human rights organization. It was a training on human rights and international norms. After that, the guys offered to anyone who wants porassprashivat me of Donbass and the Crimea. People who want to gather up 40. It was an open event. Clearly, this is likely to attract their attention. “Civil Control” in Russia is recognized as a foreign agent. Also, I talked about the Donbass and the Crimea. As a result of all this to me, if not extremism to solder, then some wrong attitude to Russia’s territorial integrity.

Irina Romaliyskaya: To you fit two people in civilian clothes and asked, do you know that you are denied entry into Russia. But you do not know it.

Alexander Romantsova: Yes. Of course, I did not know about it. I ask, how much I denied entry. – We do not know. I figured out why. – We do not know. They said: “We have a system that is not visible. Just shows that you are prohibited from entering. We’ll have to warn about it and take a signed paper – copy we copy you. ” Then they asked, when I’m flying back and if I was going to stay. If I was not liable in Kiev, I would have stayed simply because they asked about it. These RUVDshniki very highly recommended to me in the time remaining on the territory of Belarus did not move. Given that my colleagues from the Ukraine were still there, we decided not to publicize it until. Their colleagues in Belarus and Russia, I reported it. And we began to know the reason. While there is no answer, but it will likely be the standard.

Irina Romaliyskaya: Request was sent to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs ?

Alexander Romantsova: None. We sent a request to the Interior Ministry. The task – to get information from them that have made or did not make me a list, and if they do, that’s who. They are now even has an online resource for this. March 1, Minister of Internal Affairs of Belarus said that Russia applied in their overall lists of 300 thousand. Ukrainians.

My Belarusian colleagues have offered to talk about this situation, the media. But I decided that I will raise this issue when I land in Ukraine.

I believe that, on the one hand, Russia, nagreb 300 thousand. Ukrainians, rowed all objectionable. On the other hand, I think that the Minsk checks on who entered and who is not entered, it is because they have such a situation. They were more than 50 arrests.

Sourse, 19/03/2017