News for September 2010

Socio-political situation in Belarus ahead of presidential election

16.09.2010 Socio-political situation in Belarus ahead of presidential election

The socio-political situation in Belarus ahead of presidential election remains extremely complicated. The authorities failed to provide the Belarusian citizens with an appropriate amount of civil rights and freedoms guaranteed by the Constitution.

16.09.2010 Human rights activists issue statement on start of observation campaign

The House of Representatives of the National Assembly of the Republic of Belarus has scheduled the presidential election for 19 December 2010. Under Article 81 of the Belarusian Constitution, ‘the President shall be elected directly by the people of the Republic of Belarus for a term of office of five years by universal, free, equal, direct and secret ballot.’

HR activist Raman Kisliak urges Foreign Ministry to foster abolition of death penalty

16.09.2010 HR activist Raman Kisliak urges Foreign Ministry to foster abolition of death penalty

Human rights defender Raman Kisliak addressed the Belarusian Foreign Ministry with a demand to bring the criminal legislation in accordance with the provisions of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, thus rehabilitating the rights of persons, whose relatives have been executed, Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty reports.

Authorities plotting legal basis for political repressions against civil activists, says Assembly of Belarusian Pro-Dem NGOs

16.09.2010 Authorities plotting legal basis for political repressions against civil activists, says Assembly of Belarusian Pro-Dem NGOs

On 15 September, the Assembly of Belarusian Pro-Democratic NGOs issued a special statement, predicting a new wave of political repressions against the country’s civil society ahead of the forthcoming presidential election.

16.09.2010 Belarus invites international observers to elections

The Minister of Foreign Affairs Siarhej Martynau has signed an official letter directed to CIS and OSCE with an invitation to send observers for participation in the presidential elections, informed the Press-Secretary of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs Andrej Savinykh.

Kyrgyzstan: Human rights defender Azimzhan Askarov is sentenced to life imprisonment

16.09.2010 Kyrgyzstan: Human rights defender Azimzhan Askarov is sentenced to life imprisonment

On September 15 the court in the Masy village, the Nooken district of the Jalal-Abad Oblast of Kyrgyzstan, sentenced the prominent human rights advocate Azimzhan Askarov to life imprisonment with confiscation of property.

Fine for hanging memorial board in honor of Larysa Heniyush

15.09.2010 Fine for hanging memorial board in honor of Larysa Heniyush

On 27 July 2010 Mikalai Kavalchuk installed a memorial board in honor of the 100th anniversary of the poet Larysa Heniyush on the wall of the house where she had been born (the house had been transported from the hamlet of Zhlobautsy to Vaukavysk). However, the memorial board was removed by the police on order of the Vaukavysk District Executive Committee and the activist was accused of having installed the memorial board without an official permission.

Navahradak: trial for distribution of ‘Prauda Niakliayeva’

15.09.2010 Navahradak: trial for distribution of ‘Prauda Niakliayeva’

On 15 September Vasil Aliakhnovich, Chief Judge of the Navahradak District Court, sentenced the activists of the Speak Truth campaign Ivan Dziashuk and Natallia Katsmayer to pay 700,000 rubles for distributing the unregistered edition Prauda Niakliayeva two weeks ago.

Suspects in assault on Russian Embassy are still in jail

15.09.2010 Suspects in assault on Russian Embassy are still in jail

On 14 September one of them, Tatsiana Semianishchava, was released from the Minsk pre-trial prison after spending six days there.

Another death sentence

15.09.2010 Another death sentence

On 14 September the Mahiliou Region Court pronounced the verdict to Ihar Mialik and Aliaksandr Sychou who had been found guilty of committing a series of violent murders on the territory of the Mahiliou region. The former got a life sentence and the latter was sentenced to death.

15.09.2010 Andrei Tychyna gets fined for distribution of newspapers

The democratic activist from Salihorsk Andrei Tychyna was fined 1,225,000 rubles (about $) for handing out the newspapers My i Rynak and Hazeta Niakliayeva with the logo of the Speak Truth campaign at the Salihorsk town market on 31 August.

Supreme Economical Court turned down ’Nasha Niva’ lawsuit

15.09.2010 Supreme Economical Court turned down ’Nasha Niva’ lawsuit

The chief editor of Nasha Niva Andrei Skurko, an expert linguist- candidate of philological sciences Nadzeya Shakun and witnesses – the readers of the newspaper who did not manage to buy the issue in the newsstand, appeared in the Supreme Economical Court, at the trial Nasha Niva vs. the Ministry of Information. Predictably enough, the court turned down the lawsuit of the newspaper and left the warnings of the ministry in force.

15.09.2010 Democratic trade unions not invited to elaboration of general agreement with government

The Congress of the democratic trade unions hasn’t been informed so far about the work on the General Agreement between the government, employer associations and trade unions.

15.09.2010 KGB receives new powers

The State Security Committee (KGB) has received broader authorities for control over financial transactions of the citizens.

15.09.2010 Review-Chronicle of Human Rights Violations in Belarus in July-August 2010

Socio-political life during these months was accompanied with escalation of the relations between Belarus and Russia including oil and informational war. The general situation of human rights in Belarus remained the same: restriction of freedom of word, administrative and criminal persecution of the opposition and forced dispersals of peaceful street actions.

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