The Human Rights Center “Viasna”

News for 11 Jan 2010

11.01.2010 ’Reporters Without Borders’ is worried about the government’s plans to tighten control of the Internet

Reporters Without Borders is worried about the government’s plans to tighten control of the Internet in a country where free expression is already restricted. President Alexander Lukashenko acknowledged on 30 December that his government is putting the final touches to a bill to this effect. The draft decree was leaked to the media on December 14, 2009. The discussions around it remain secret.

11.01.2010 Navahradak: Yury Kazak fined 8,7 million rubles

On 11 January Valer Tsynkevich, judge of Navahradak district court, issued a verdict to the activist of the Belarusian Christian Democracy Party Yury Kazak. The activist was fined 8,750 000 rubles (an equivalent of $3,089) for spilling green paint on the local monument to Lenin.

11.01.2010 Police deny abduction of Zmitser Dashkevich

Police and prosecutor’s office paid no reaction to the complaint of the Young Front chairman Zmitser Dashkevich about his abduction and taking out to a forest on 4 December.

11.01.2010 Vitsebsk: activist of ‘Young Belarus’ Taras Surhan detained

Taras Surhan was detained on 9 January when he left his apartment with his future wife to take out the trash. ‘As I threw the rubbish into the waste bin, the unknown in mufti ran from behind, forced me into the car and took me away. Then I was placed in another car, with policemen, and taken to the police department of Chyhunachny district of Vitsebsk,’ Surhan said.

11.01.2010 BSU rector refuses to reinstate Tatsiana Shaputska at university

The official ignored appeals of the EU and signatures of students in support of the of the Young Front spokesperson.

11.01.2010 Vitsebsk: criminal case brought against Siarhei Kavalenka

As BelaPAN learned from Pavel Seviarynets, co-head of the organizing committee of the Belarusian Christian Democracy Party, Siarhei Kavalenka, activist of the Conservative Christian Party BPF accused of hanging out a national white-red-white flag on a New Year’s tree, has been transferred to a detention facility for two months on order of the prosecutor of Vitebsk.