Print this pageFor Immediate Release
March 26, 2010
(Russian)
Supreme Court in Belarus respects a young man’s conscience
GOMEL, Belarus—There is now a renewed opportunity for Belarus to implement alternative civilian service as provided for in the nation’s Constitution. The verdict against conscientious objector Dmitry Smyk was overturned on March 15, 2010, and the case was remanded for retrial.
Earlier, on November 6, 2009, the Tsentralniy District Court of the city of Gomel declared Smyk guilty of violating the law on military duty and he was fined. Then on February 20, 2010, the Deputy Chairman of the Supreme Court lodged a protest against the Gomel court’s verdict in the case, noting that the religious convictions of Dmitry Smyk had not been taken into account during the deliberations. In particular, the court pointed out “the very fact of Smyk’s membership in the respective religious confession. Said court findings bear a presumptive and subjective nature.” As a result, on March 15 the Presidium of the Gomel Regional Court overturned the verdict of the Tsentralniy District Court.
Although the story does not end here, there is hope that the intervention by the Supreme Court will prove beneficial in the case of Dmitry Smyk in particular and will help lawmakers take a fresh look at the broader issue of alternative service. It is possible that during the retrial, Smyk will be recognized not as a person evading his civic duties but as someone requesting merely that his religious convictions be taken into account while he fulfills his civic duties. Conditions are favorable for such hopes to be realized. On February 18, the President of Belarus, Alexander Lukashenko, issued a commission to draft a law on alternative service.
Contacts:
Belarus: Pavel Yadlouski, Telephone + 375 17 292 93 78
USA: J.R. Brown, telephone +1 718 560 5600