Young opposition activists have filed a new application with the justice department of the Minsk City Executive Committee for granting legal status to their Malady Front city organization.

In late May, the department denied registration to the organization, explaining that it is its Central Council, which is named as the supreme governing body by the Malady Front charter, that should have applied for registration.

The organization's application for registration had been filed on behalf of its founding convention.

As Barys Haretski, a leader of the organization, told at a special meeting held in the office of the Belarusian Popular Front on June 1, they formed the Central Council and the new application is now on behalf of it.

He pointed out that all the required documents for registration were drawn up in strict accordance with existing regulations. "If we are denied registration once again, we'll appeal to court, as the department didn't note any other flaws," he said.

This is the sixth attempt by Malady Front activists to legalize their organization, although it has been in existence for more than a decade. The five preceding applications were rejected by justice authorities. Five Malady Front members have recently been convicted of acting on behalf of an unregistered organization under a new Criminal Code article and sentenced to fines. On November 1, 2006, Malady Front activist Zmitser Dashkevich was sentenced to 18 months in a minimum-security correctional institution on this charge