The Human Rights Center “Viasna”

News for 12 Jun 2008

12.06.2008 Observatory for the Protection of Human Rights Defenders expresses its grave concern with persecution of Leanid Svetsik

The Observatory for the Protection of Human Rights Defenders, a joint programme of the International Federation for Human Rights (FIDH) and the World Organisation Against Torture (OMCT), requests your urgent intervention in the following situation in *Belarus*.

12.06.2008 Youth activists are haunted by military enlistment offices

The military enlistment offices have started to summon activists of different youth organizations for medical examination with the aim of drafting them to army service.

12.06.2008 Political prisoner Parsiukevich kept in quarantine department of Shklou colony

The lawyer Vera Stramkouskaya has met with her client, political prisoner Siarhei Parsiukevich, kept in the quarantine department of Shklou colony. He will be kept in the quarantine till 16 June.

12.06.2008 Vitsebsk oblast chamber of judges abolishes sentence to Nikolai Kostyshev

As the organization committee for the establishment of the Belarusian committee for protection of the prisoners’ rights Over the Barrier learned from the relatives of the Russian citizen Nikolai Kostyshev, the ruling to abolish the sentence to him had been issued on 29 April 2008, but the relatives found about it only on 9 June, from the prisoner’s letter.

12.06.2008 Youth activists beaten by riot squad police at ‘Beatles’ Festival’

During the musical festival ‘Beatles Forever’ which was held in Lahoisk on Saturday, 7 June, several youngsters raised white-red-white flags. Several minutes after this raged riot squad policemen burst into the crowd and started beating the youngsters, among whom there was an activist of the Young Front Vadzim Khaniauka.

12.06.2008 Belarusian Language Society wants to take part in school reform

Belarusian Language Society has decided to take part in the school reform. As said by the chairperson of the organization Aleh Trusau in the interview to the European Radio, the BLS secretariat has adopted a statement calling for extension of the usage of the Belarusian language in schools.

12.06.2008 Authorities of Vitsebsk are reluctant to register homeless Shchukin

These days the human rights activist and oppositionist Valery Shchukin has applied to the prosecutor of Vitsebsk oblast for the third time. He again asks to register him as a homeless person. In the answers to the previous complaints the prosecutor answered that registration was impossible and it was necessary to conduct an appropriate check-up. According to Shchukin, by non-registering him as homeless the authorities violate presidential decree #413.

12.06.2008 Polatsk: police detain activists of ‘Young Front’

On 11 June in Polatsk the police detained five activists of the Young Front: Mikalai Dzemidzenka, Siarzhuk Karalionak, Ales Khaberau, Ales Krutkin and Katsiaryna Salauyova for unfurling a banner ‘Stop dictatorship’ opposite Polatsk city executive committee.

12.06.2008 .by zone: registration impossible?

The State Center of Information Security under the auspices of the Belarusian president has temporarily suspended issuing certificates of domain names’ ownership to their owners.

12.06.2008 Activist of ‘European Belarus’ Alexander Atroshchankau arrested for 15 days

Today in the afternoon Tsentralny district court of Minsk has sentenced Alexander Atroshchankau, activist of the campaign, to 15 days of jail. He had trial in the Tsentralny district. The activist was taken to the court from the KGB Minsk and Minsk region directorate.

12.06.2008 Minsk: action of solidarity with Ivan Shyla

An action of solidarity with Ivan Shyla has been held today in the center of Minsk. On 4 June, before his last final exam, Ivan Shyla was expelled from a secondary school because of public activism.