The Human Rights Center “Viasna”

05.06.2015 BCD activist to stand trial for anti-alcohol posters

Activist from Slonim Ivan Bedka will be tried for a poster reading “Let's protect our children from alcoholism”.

04.06.2015 Investigation into the death of Ihar Ptischkin in jail sent for new trial

Zhana Ptsichkina has received an answer from the Office of Prosecutor General concerning the closure of the criminal case on the fact of death of her son Ihar Ptsichkin in remand prison No. 1 in Minsk.

04.06.2015 Freelance journalist gets fined 60 basic units

Freelance journalist Alina Litvinchuk has been sentenced to a fine of 60 basic units by the Leninski District Court of Brest.

04.06.2015 Homieĺ: human rights activist asks to recognize him a victim in criminal case

June 13, there expires the two-month term since the instigation of the criminal case concerning the fact of sending pornographic materials to the Belarusian state agencies from the hacked e-mail account of the human rights activist Leanid Sudalenka, sudalenko.mail.ru.

04.06.2015 IFJ Calls for Belarus Media Reform as New Law Takes Effect

The International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) today called upon the Belarus government to bring in radical reforms to media and to abandon the strategy set out in a divisive new law that came into force on 8 February.

04.06.2015 Repeated trial on case of publisher of “Voĺny Horad” starts at Kryčaŭ District Court

June 3, the repeated trial on the administrative case against Uladzimir Kudrautsau, charged with defaming policeman Aliakdsandr Dziameshka, started at the Kryčaŭ District Court.

04.06.2015 Statement of Freedom House concerning assault on HR organizations in Grozny, Chechnya

“The second attack in six months on Grozny office of the Committee Against Torture and destruction of property shows the Russian government to be either complicit in violence against human rights groups, or unable to ensure their protection,” said Susan Corke, director of Eurasia programs.

04.06.2015 Baranavičy: Yadviha Rubtsova visits her husband in prison

June 3 Yadviha Rubtsova, wife of political prisoner Yury Rubtsou, visited her husband, who is currently held in jail No.6 in Baranavičy. This is the first meeting of Mrs. Jadviha and her husband after the trial, which declared Yury Rubtsou guilty of evasion of serving punishment of restraint of liberty (Art. 415 of the Criminal Code), and punished him with two years of medium security colony, taking into account the unserved term of punishment.

04.06.2015 Viciebsk: Department of Justice rejects candidacy of human rights defender for Monitoring Commission

Human rights activist Pavel Levinau has been nominated to the Viciebsk Regional Public Monitoring Commission by Belarusian Helsinki Committee. The corresponding letter with the request to approve the candidacy of the representative of the BHC was sent to the justice department of the regional executive committee. However, the request was not satisfied.

03.06.2015 Former political prisoners are still watched by security services

Vaŭkavysk entrepreneur Mikahail Autukhovich told the Human Rights Center “Viasna” that before the presentation in Vaŭkavysk of the book “Worm”, written by the former political prisoner Zmitser Dashkevich, they were watched by several people in civvies.

03.06.2015 Attack on human rights organizations in Grozny

In Grozny, May 3, unidentified persons destroyed the office of the human rights organization "Committee against Torture". The office staff managed to escape through the window.

Prosecutor General's Office: “You were forcibly taken to the psychiatric hospital, but the subsequent treatment was carried out on your agreement”

03.06.2015 Prosecutor General's Office: “You were forcibly taken to the psychiatric hospital, but the subsequent treatment was carried out on your agreement”

Valiantsin Kavalchuk, who lives in the village of Vialiakaja Hać, has been trying to appeal the actions of the local medics and police, who had forcedly and illegally sent him to the Mahilioŭ psychiatric hospital in October 2013.

03.06.2015 Human rights activists launch a humanitarian mission in Ukraine

The Human Rights Center "Viasna" initiated a humanitarian mission in Ukraine. Its main goal is to help Ukrainian immigrants from the conflict zone, 100,000 of whom are living in Kharkiv alone.

02.06.2015 Baranavičy activist claims that he was beaten by police

Baranavičy activist of "Young Front" Kiryl Luksha was beaten by the police after a protest action. He reported it through his accounts on social networking websites.

02.06.2015 Freelance journalists Volha Chaichyts and Siarhei Krauchuk get fined 30 basic units

Judge Shaiko of the Dziaržynsk District Court decided to fine the journalist Volha Chaichyts for violation of Art. 22.9 of the Administrative Code, Part 2, 30 basic units or 5.4million rubles. Siarhei Krauchuk was fined the same amount, too.