BELARUS NEWS AND ANALYSIS

DATE:

29/01/2008

Belarusian Youth Hospitalized In Protest Against Expulsion, Draft

Dzmitry Zhaleznichenka, a member of Belarusian Popular Front who was expelled from Homel State University and hastily drafted into the army on January 25, has been hospitalized on the third day of his hunger strike (see "RFE/RL Newsline," January 28, 2008), Belapan and RFE/RL's Belarus Service reported on January 28. The command of the military unit in Zhlobin where Zhaleznichenka was assigned refused to give any explanation why he was taken to the hospital. Zhaleznichenka went on hunger strike to protest his expulsion from university and has demanded his call-up be postponed in order to give him time to appeal against the expulsion. The press office of the Defense Ministry said that "Zhaleznichenka is violating the law...he assumes criminal responsibility for the deliberate damage to his health in order to avoid military service." AM

Source:

http://www.rferl.org/newsline/2008/01/3-cee/cee-290108.asp