The Human Rights Center “Viasna”

In his recent, the political prisoner letter writes about hopes for an early release from prison of political leaders and civil society activists.

It is reported by the local union leader Halina Lisitsyna. On 21 May, she was visited by KGB agents, but she refused to talk without a subpoena.

Baranavichy executive committee issued another ban on holding Milavidy festival dedicated to the 150th anniversary of the Battle of Milavidy during the 1863 anti-Russian Uprising. Previously, we reported that the cultural and educational event was scheduled for June 2, but the executive committee dismissed local activists’ bid, saying that “on this day and in this place the cultural department of Baranavichy district executive committee scheduled its own event in connection with the 150th anniversary of the Battle of Milavidy, so the holding of another event on the subject is not appropriate.”

Leanid Dubanosau, excavator operator at the major “Granite” state-owned enterprise, learned this last evening when he first went to work after a holiday, but was not admitted to his working place for the night shift.

Halina Herasimava, activist of the civil initiative against lawlessness in the courts and the prosecuting authorities, representing the NGO in the city of Mazyr (Homel region), received a verbal warning for participation in an unregistered public association from Deputy Prosecutor of Homel region Vadzim Sushchynski.

Aliaksei Kulik, activist of the Belarusian LGBT community, was searched by the customs officials while returning from Ukraine this morning.

Minsk City Court heard today appeals lodged by Radio Racyja journalist Aliaksandr Yarashevich and blogger Dzmitry Halko to contest their recent arrests. As a result, the journalist’s appeal was dismissed.

The Court of Mahiliou Leninski district opened today the hearing of a lawsuit brought by the city’s office of the Belarusian Social Democratic Party against Pavel Shyshou, head of the dormitory service of the “Mahiliouablselbud” state-run enterprise.

Front Line Defenders released yesterday a statement concerning continuous reprimanding of Ales Bialiatski, including recent 6-month suspension of right to receive food from visitors.

A report of the Prosecutor’s Office of Mahiliou region said on April 30 that another death sentence had been pronounced in Belarus. It was the first verdict since 2011. Some Western politicians were too quick to call the lack of new death sentences in 2012 as a “positive trend.”