The Human Rights Center “Viasna”

04.04.2014 Babruisk: Case closed, complaint ignored

Babruisk freelance journalist Maryna Malchanava received a letter from the Prosecutor's Office, saying that an administrative case against her had been closed.

04.04.2014 Hrodna journalist fined 4.5 mln

On March 24, Ales Dzianisau was questioned by the police. Then, the journalist was charged under Part 2 of Art. 22.9 of the Administrative Code for in collaboration with the Poland-based TV channel Belsat. The reporters do not have accreditation, which would allow to work legally in Belarus.

04.04.2014 Activist spends month in mental hospital over solidarity with Ukraine

On March 27, Andrei Kasheuski, a resident of Zhodzina, was released from the National Centre for Mental Health in Minsk, after spending there a month over a yellow- blue ribbon he brought from the Kyiv Maidan.

04.04.2014 Editor of independent newspaper fined on anonymous charges

Heorhi Stankevich, a teacher of the town of Beshankovichy, Vitsebsk region, has been fined 7.5 million rubles for illegally publishing and distributing the newspaper “Kryvinka”. However, the anonymous statement that was used to charge the activist did not mention the self-published newspaper. The police were urged to “see to the matter”, but they accused the editor and publisher of violating the law on mass media, instead.

04.04.2014 Hrodna human rights defenders convicted for photos with Ukrainian flag

On April 3, human rights defenders Viktar Sazonau, Uladzimir Khilmanovich and Raman Yurhel spent six hours in the Leninski district police department of Hrodna. They were first questioned and then charged with administrative offenses. The police reports were based on photos posted on the websites of Radio Racyja and harodniaspring.org.

04.04.2014 International human rights defenders: Journalists must testify about what is happening in Belarus

Robert Hårdh, Executive Director of Civil Rights Defenders, Maina Kiai, UN Special Rapporteur on the right of freedom of peaceful assembly and of association, and Margaret Sekaggya, UN Special Rapporteur on the situation of Human Rights Defenders, have addressed journalists during the Defenders' Days conference, which is currently underway in Sweden: "Every journalist who find themselves in an authoritarian country such as Belarus must have an obligation to stand up for free speech and report on human rights violations in such a country."

03.04.2014 Babruisk journalist questioned by Investigative Committee

On April 1, chief editor of the Bobruiskiy kurier independent weekly Anatol Sanatsenka was questioned at the Babruisk interdistrict department of the Investigative Committee, press-service of the Belarusian Association of Journalists reports.

03.04.2014 Brest candidate seeks invalidation of election results

Valiantsina Maltsava, a resident of Brest who ran in the city’s constituency No. 3, has sent a complaint to the Brest Regional Election Commission. Earlier, she sent a similar statement to the City Election Commission, but the election officials refused to meet her demands.

03.04.2014 Disabled rights NGO launches monitoring of barrier-free environment ahead of Hockey World Champ

The Office of the Rights of Persons with Disabilities invites volunteers to monitor barrier-free environment of facilities constructed for the forthcoming Ice Hockey World Championship in Minsk.

02.04.2014 Another student gets expelled for civil society activism

Institute of Journalism of the Belarusian State University expelled another active student, member of the Movement "For Freedom" Mikita Semianenka. As stated by the Institute leadership, he was expelled for academic failure, as Mikita did not get a credit in one of the subjects.

02.04.2014 “Viasna” representatives take part in human rights events in Sweden

These days in Stockholm, Days of Belarus are held by the human rights organization Östgruppen, and the second annual conference Defenders' Days - 2014 is held by Civil Rights Defenders.

02.04.2014 Civil Rights Defenders declare Ales Bialiatski Defender of the Year 2014

Ales Bialiatski , founder of the Belarusian human rights organisation Viasna, is the recipient of the 2014 Civil Rights Defender of the Year Award. For over 30 years, he has pursued a life of continuous struggle to campaign for democracy and human rights, first in the Soviet Union and then in Belarus.

02.04.2014 Belarusian Ambassador was shown the door in Brussels

The representative of official Minsk was not allowed to attend the Euronest session.

02.04.2014 Hrodna human rights defenders are summoned to police again

Hrodna human rights defenders Uladzimin Khilmanovich, Raman Yurhel and Viktar Sazonau are to visit the Leninski District Police Department of Hrodna on April 3.

02.04.2014 Alena Kavalenka to be tried for unauthorized picket

Alena Kavalenka, activist of the Conservative-Christian Party “Belarusian Popular Front”and wife of a former political prisoner Siarhei Kavalenka, took part in an electoral picket together with another CCP BPF activist, Yan Dziarzhautsau, on March 22. They stood there with a poster “Boycott the electoral farce!”