The Human Rights Center “Viasna”

News for 3 Mar 2009

03.03.2009 'Young Front' activists are fined for action in front of presidential administration

Five activists of the Young Front were detained for an unauthorized picket. They were standing with a streamer ‘No to political terror!’ in front of the administration of Lukashenka.

03.03.2009 Astravets: civil activist Ivan Kruk questioned concerning an attempt of arson

The police interrogated the civil activist Ivan Kruk within the frames of the criminal case that had been brought on the fact of an attempt of arson of the office of Hrodna oblast department of the State Control Committee. At night of 6-7 February unknown persons broke the window by throwing a bottle with unidentified mixture.

03.03.2009 ‘Young Front’ activist Artsiom Dubski placed to pre-trial prison in Asipovichy

The activist of the Young Front Artsiom Dubski has been placed to the pre-trial prison in Asipovichy in connection with a criminal case for evasion from punishment (personal restraint) that has been brought against him recently. The prosecutor has three days to decide whether to leave the activist in jail or release him under written undertaking not to leave the town.

03.03.2009 Belarusian MFA deny accreditation to another journalist of Radio Racyja

The commission of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs on accreditation of foreign mass media refused to accredit Ivan Roman as the correspondent of Radio Racyja in Hrodna.

03.03.2009 Refusal to register ‘Nasha Viasna’ is a manifestation of systematic and purposeful discrimination of human rights activists

On 2 March 2009 the Ministry of Justice of the Republic of Belarus decided to deny the state registration to the civil human rights association Nasha Viasna, the successor of the liquidated civil association Human Rights Center ‘Viasna’.

03.03.2009 Uladzimir Labkovich: ‘It is obvious that non-registration of ‘Nasha Viasna’ is a political decision’

Today on our own initiative we have received a copy of the decision of the Ministry of Justice concerning the registration denial to us (we could not receive it by mail as quickly as that, because it is dated 2 March). Bear in mind that the answer was taken after the expiry of the legally established term for giving such answers.

03.03.2009 Ministry of Justice refuses to register ‘Nasha Viasna’

On 3 March the representative of interests of the civil human rights association Nasha Viasna Uladzimir Labkovich received a copy of the decision of the Ministry of Justice On registration denial to the public association.

03.03.2009 Review-Chronicle of Human Rights Violations in Belarus in February 2009

In February police dispersed two peaceful democratic actions: on 14 February – in honor of St. Valentine's Day and on 16 February – an action of solidarity with political prisoners and families of the missing political and civil activists. Some of participants of these actions applied for medical aid. No one was detained.