The Human Rights Center “Viasna”

On April 25th Minsk city court heard the complaint filed by Natalia Yasevich, mother of Young Front member Zmitser Yasevich. Natalia was accused of participation in the freedom march on March 25th.

On the Freedom Day Natalia Yasevich, when she saw the detained and beaten young people, asked to go with them in a police truck to accompany them to the police station. However, when the police truck arrived at Partyzanski district police station, the police charged Natalia with participation in an unauthorized rally. Natalia spent the night in Akrestsina detention center. The next day the court fined her 30 basic units.

On April 28th entrepreneur Siarhei Parsiukevich filed a complaint against the court decision which found him guilty and sentenced him to 2.5 years of imprisonment.

Lawyer Vera Stramkouskaya lists the arguments why the verdict should be cancelled:

“Firstly, the court took only the testimony of the prosecution witnesses into account. Bodily injuries of Siarhei Parsiukevich were not considered, his clothes with his blood stains were not attached to the case, and no evaluation of that was made. Finally, the prosecution witnesses were inconsistent in their testimony. They contradicted each other and their own words.”

Recently Parsiukevich was moved to a cell which is located in the underground floor and has no windows.

“He has problems with breathing there. There is no fresh air. He has regular asthma attacks. We demand to send him to hospital”, -- Vera Stramkouskaya says.

Navabelitski district court of Homel punished the last of the tried participants of the historical tour in Homel with 10 days of jail.

On March 23rd, about 20 people with white and red balloons walked around the places related to the life of Paluta Badunova, minister of the Belarusian Democratic Republic. The police videotaped the tour, and drew up reports against 8 people for violation of the order of organizing mass events.

On April 26th member of Christian Conservative Party Siarhei Kavalenka came out to the center of the city with white-red-white flag: he wanted to draw attention of the Belarusian society to the consequences of Chernobyl disaster which are still urgent for Belarus.

In literally couple of minutes he was detained by police and taken to Chyhunachny district police department. The police drew up a report under Article 23.34 of the Administrative Code (“Violation of the order of organizing and holding mass events”). Kavalenka was placed in the local jail to wait for trial.

Chyhunachny district police also detained well-known activist Barys Khamaida. He was taken to the police department for distribution of independent newspapers. Khamaida was released in three hours after giving written explanations about non-state newspapers “Narodnaya Volia” and “Kuryer iz Vitebska”