The Human Rights Center “Viasna”

30.03.2015 Report on the monitoring of mass event “Freedom Day - 2015”

The sanctioned mass event (demonstration) was held in Minsk on 25 March 2015, from 3 pm to 6 pm. Traditionally, Belarusian opposition movements hold this event every year to celebrate the Declaration of the Belarusian People’s Republic in 1918.

27.03.2015 Brest: journalist Aliaksandr Liauchuk tried in absentia

On March 26, the Maskouski District Court of Brest considered an administrative case against local freelance journalist Aliaksandr Liauchuk. However, he had not received an invitation to the court session.

27.03.2015 Some providers block access to opposition websites

Some providers have blocked access to opposition websites charter97.org and belaruspartisan.org. The problems with access have been reported by subscribers of Belinfonet, IP Telcom and Life.

27.03.2015 Freelance journalist in Homel charges with “illegal production of media products”

On March 26, Viktar Stsepanenka, head of the department of public order and prevention of the police department of Chyhunachny district of Homel, charged local freelance journalist Kanstantsin Zhukouski under Part 2 of Art. 22.9 of the Administrative Code (illegal manufacture of media products).

27.03.2015 Viasna releases DVD about Soviet-era dissident Mikhail Kukabaka

The Human Rights Center "Viasna" has released on DVD a documentary entitled The Dissident telling about the famous Belarusian political prisoner Mikhail Kukabaka.

26.03.2015 Pavel Sapelka: Only one political prisoner has chances for release under amnesty

The authorities are preparing another large-scale amnesty, according to euroradio.by. Lawyer of the unregistered Human Rights Center "Viasna" Pavel Sapelka says that the amnesty bill has not yet been published. However, all such acts have similarities and general principles, so we can now assume whether political prisoners can be amnestied.

26.03.2015 While defendants are tortured in Belarus, there is no assurance that the guilty are punished

As part of an urgent action by Amnesty International, representative of the Russian Committee against Torture and an Amnesty International member Dmitry Utukin signed a petition to the President of Belarus urging him to immediately declare a moratorium on executions with a view to abolish the death penalty in Belarus.

26.03.2015 Journalist Andrei Mialeshka denied accreditation

Freelance journalist Andrei Mialeshka has been denied accreditation as a journalist of the Belarusian Radio Racyja. The journalist could not understand on what basis this decision was taken, as the written response from the Foreign Ministry says nothing about it.

26.03.2015 BCD activists in Hrodna lose business

Siarhei and Mikalai Verameyenkas, activists of the Belarusian Christian Democracy in Hrodna, have had their license suspended by the Ministry of Transport, thus being deprived of the opportunity to earn a living by passenger carriage. The formal reason for this was last year’s fine that was imposed on Siarhei Verameyenka for violations in the design of trip tickets.

25.03.2015 Convict Piotr Kuchura urges Mahiliou Prosecutor to “have the courage”

Piotr Kuchura urges Mahiliou Prosecutor to react to a failure to launch a timely probe into his poisoning in penal colony No. 15, which made it impossible to punish the perpetrators.

25.03.2015 Mikalai Statkevich does not hope for early release

Political prisoner Mikalai Statkevich, the last of the presidential candidates in the2010 election, which is still held behind bars, does not hope for his early release. In a letter to journalist Barys Vyrvich, the political prisoner, who is serving a sentence in Shklou penal colony No. 17, tells about “another exacerbation”, saying that “the trends are opposite”.

25.03.2015 Pavel Sapelka: “Punishment under article 411 of the Criminal Code is arbitrary deprivation of liberty”

Human rights activists have repeatedly stressed the need to exclude Article 411 from the Criminal Code of Belarus, as it provides for additional prison terms for disobedience to the administration of penal facilities. The issue received wide public attention when the charges began to be used against political prisoners.

25.03.2015 Constitutional Court brushes off death penalty case

The Constitutional Court has responded to a petition by Tamara Sialiun, mother of Pavel Sialiun, who was executed on murder charges in April 2014.

25.03.2015 Vitsebsk authorities ban Freedom Day picket

Members of the CCP BPF applied for holding a picket to the Chyhunachny district administration, but officials have banned the rally. The reason for the ban is traditional: no service contracts from the police and ambulance.

25.03.2015 Human rights defenders urge Minister of Internal Affairs to monitor threats to Leanid Sudalenka

A number of Belarusian human rights defenders have sent an appeal to the Minister of the Interior urging him to take charge of the investigation into a case of repeated threats against human rights activist in Homel Leanid Sudalenka.