The Human Rights Center “Viasna”

News for July 2010

09.07.2010 Car of leaders of the Union of Poles searched for firearms

The present leader of the disgraced Union of Poles in Belarus, Anzelika Orechva, and her deputy, Andrei Pachobut, were detained on 8 July afternoon in Slonim and guarded to the Slonim District Police Department.

09.07.2010 'Nasha' Niva' newspaper removed from newsstands

The sale of the private socio-political newspaper Nasha Niva at the state newsstands was stopped after the publication of the article Godfather Surrenders.

08.07.2010 ‘Speak Truth’ wins trial

On 8 July, the Minsk Economic Court didn’t grant the claim of the Minsk City Executive Committee about the liquidation of the educational establishment Movement Forward, the organizer of the Speak Truth civil campaign.

07.07.2010 Court dismissed Yury Varonezhtsau's lawsuit

Ryhor Dzmitrenka, Chairperson of the Tsentralny District Court of Homel, returned without consideration the lawsuit that had been filed by the civil and political activist Yury Varonezhtsau against the Police Department of the Homel Region Executive Committee and advised the plaintiff to apply to procuracy.

07.07.2010 Court fined Ivan Kruk without questioning main witness

Ivan Kruk, a civil activist from Astravets, was fined 1, 050 000 rubles (about $350) for the alleged libel against an official of the Astravets District Executive Committee during the last election.

07.07.2010 10th anniversary of disappearance of journalist Dzmitry Zavadski

10 years ago, on 7 July 2000, the Belarusian TV cameraman Dzmitry Zavadski went missing. In the morning he drove to the National airport Minsk to meet his colleague, journalist Pavel Sharamet, and has never been seen ever since. His car was found in the airport.

07.07.2010 Activist of 'Speak Truth' Aksana Samuilava fined 350,000 rubles

The opposition activist was detained while handing out the Svobodnye Novosti Plus newspaper near the Liftmash plant on 19 May. The plant’s chief security officer Shulau and two guards took 15 copies of the paper from the girl and forced her to go to the office of the plant’s administration. Aksana had to spend here about an hour and then was passed to the police.

06.07.2010 Will Barysau authorities review their decision concerning determined places for mass events?

Recently, the Barysau District Court fined, Ales Abramovich, a democratic activist from Barysau, 875,000 rubles (about $290) under Article 34.34, part 2 of the Code of Administrative Offences, ‘violation of the rules of holding mass events’. The activist appealed against the verdict at the Minsk Region Court. The activist intends to proceed up to the UN Human Rights Committee if his claims won’t be granted at the national level.

06.07.2010 Website of socio-political newspaper ‘Vitsebski Kuryer’ is blocked

The editorial board associates it with the enforcement of Decree #60 regulating the activities of the national internet resources.

06.07.2010 Siarhei Panamarou is suspected in insult of officials

Siarhei Panamarou, a Kletsk activist of the For Freedom movement, was summoned to the Minsk Region Procuracy for an interrogation at 10 a.m. on 9 July, at the office of an investigator of especially important cases, Mr. Azarevich, in Shchadryn Street, 1.

06.07.2010 Mahiliou: trial concerning cruel treatment of activist of ‘Speak Truth’

On 5 July, the Leninski District Court of Mahiliou started considering the complaint of Aksana Samuilava, a volunteer of the Speak Truth civil campaign, who accused the chief guard of the Mahilou factory Liftmash of infliction of bodily injuries to her.

06.07.2010 Trade union is expelled from plant

The administration of the Babruisk plant of tractor details and aggregates issued the ruling about the forced eviction of the local organization of the Free Trade Union of Belarus from its office. The order was signed by Piatro Slabadchuk, Deputy Chairperson on ideological work. The necessity of the eviction is motivated by ‘productive necessity’. The trade union considers the order unlawful and intends to go to the law.

05.07.2010 BSU rector reprimands ‘Young Front’ activist

On 14 May, the first day of the City Is Ours campaign, launched by the Young Front, a student of the physical faculty of Belarusian State University Yulyan Misiukevich was detained by the riot police. He was accused of using obscene language and fined.

05.07.2010 Zelva authorities refuse to rename Savetskaya Street in honor of Larysa Heniyush

Some time ago, a local activist of the Belarusian Popular Front Party, Yauhen Skrabutan, addressed the Ministry of Culture and the Chamber of Representatives of the National Assembly with the proposal to rename Savetskaya Street in the town of Zelva into Larysa Heniush Street (in Honor of the Soviet dissident and Belarusian poet Larysa Heniyush who had lived in the town for a long time). I think that It would be a good gift for Zelva citizens on Larysa's 100th birthday.