The Human Rights Center “Viasna”

25.11.2014 Conservative Christian Party deputy chair to stand trial over memorial rally

Another administrative trial of deputy chairman of the Conservative Christian Party BPF, Yuras Belenki, will be held on November 28 in the Leninski District Court of Minsk.

25.11.2014 Pavel Vinahradau: I do not want to be political alcoholic

Zmena leader Pavel Vinahradau decides to move in with his father in Berazino under threat of ending up in a detox labor camp on trumped up charges.

25.11.2014 Ukrainian flags at Minsk Arena banned for convenience of audience

Police and arena administration commented on the incident at the Okean Elzy concert, Ukraine and Belarus MFAs exchanged views on Twitter.

25.11.2014 Police detain wheelchair user during banned picket in Svetlahorsk

Civil society activist Yury Liashenka was detained this afternoon in Svetlahorsk. The city authorities did not allow the wheelchair user to stage a picket at the city’s central square. The activist intended to protest against failure to meet the rights of persons with disabilities during the renovation of a residential building in Lenin Street. As a result, the desperate activist decided to hold an unsanctioned rally.

25.11.2014 Brest Regional Court dismisses appeal of activist in Baranavichy

On November 24, the Brest Regional Court dismissed a cassation appeal lodged by Baranavichy entrepreneur Mikalai Charnavus in a defamation lawsuit against deputy chief of the city department of internal affairs Eldar Vilchkouski. The court session was conducted by Judge Andrei Alesenka.

25.11.2014 Belarusian journalist shortly detained on Russian border

On November 24, Russian border guards detained Belarusian journalist Larysa Shchyrakova and opposition activist Kanstantsin Zhukouski. The Homel-based journalist was making a story about the Belarusian-Russian border in the Dobrush district. Later they moved across the border into Russia and there filmed trucks moving from Belarus to Russia to prove restrictions on transit of Belarusian exports. They were stopped by Russian border guards, who took their passports and asked about the purpose of their trip.

25.11.2014 Trade union activist complains about detention conditions in Niasvizh jail

Aliaksandr Vaitseshyk, activist of the independent trade union of radio-electronic industry (REP) in the city of Baranavichy, who served a 2-day detention in the police department of Niasvizh for requesting a book of complaints in a local canteen, has written a complaint to the Prosecutor General’s Office. In his complaint, the activist tells about poor conditions of detention and asks to close the temporary detention facility of the Niasvizh district police department.

25.11.2014 Vitsebsk activists complain against administrative charges

Opposition activist Tatsiana Seviarynets and Alena Shabunyi have written a statement to the police department and the city Prosecutor’s Office against a police officer of the Chyhunachny district police department who charged them with alleged participation in an unsanctioned rally. Both ladies insist that they were simply photographed against the backdrop of one of the city’s buildings.

24.11.2014 Fresh probe to be launched over death in Svetlahorsk jail

The Svetlahorsk District Court has quashed a decision by the district department of the Investigative Committee, which earlier refused to open a criminal investigation into the death of Aliaksandr Akulich, who died while serving an administrative arrest in the detention center of the town’s police department in May 2012. The judge agreed with all the arguments of the victim’s mother and the human rights defenders of the HRC “Viasna”.

24.11.2014 Young opposition activist Haydukow released after being charged with minor offense

Andrey Haydukow, a prominent young opposition activist who was arrested Friday in his home city of Navapolatsk, Vitsyebsk region, over the distribution of leaflets about political prisoners in Belarus, was released from the police station after a charge sheet was drawn up against him.

24.11.2014 Authorities keep torturing death convict’s mother (PHOTOS)

Volha Hrunova, the mother of Aliaksandr Hrunou, who was executed on October 22, 2014 for the murder of his friend Natallia Yemialyianchykava, has received his prison uniform. It was after receiving the package that the death convict’s mother realized that the death sentence was carried out.

24.11.2014 Activist in Khotsimsk complains against police officers

Valery Karankevich, an opposition activist from the town of Khotsimsk, has sent a complaint to the Minister of Internal Affairs asking the official to inform him about the results of an official investigation into the work of the district police department and the Mahiliou regional police department. The probe was expected to highlight a number of violations committed by them in the conduct of administrative proceedings in a slander lawsuit he lodged after a series of publications on an Internet resource voskresinfo.com.

24.11.2014 Human rights activist Uladzimir Khilmanovich to stand trial for honoring anti-Russian rebels

Participants in the traditional action in memory of the insurgents of the 1863 anti-Russian uprising, which was held in the town of Svislach on October 26, are still facing administrative charges of involvement in an unauthorized event.

24.11.2014 Minsk court turns down appeal against picket ban

On November 21, the court of the Maskouski district of Minsk considered an appeal against a decision of the Minsk City Executive Committee, which banned a picket of solidarity with Ukraine citing obviously far-fetched reasons, the press service of the Committee “Solidarity” reports.

21.11.2014 Svetlahorsk officials ban picket on rights of persons with disabilities

Civil society activists Yury Liashenka was not allowed to hold a picket, which was scheduled for November 22 at the central square of Svetlahorsk. The activist intended to raise public awareness and to protest against discrimination against persons with disabilities during the renovation of a residential building in Lenin Street.