The Human Rights Center “Viasna”

26.04.2013 BAJ website attacked

The website of the Belarusian Association of Journalists has become the fourth website attacked in the last few days.

26.04.2013 Mahiliou Regional Court rejects appeal by local activist

Mahiliou Regional Court considered yesterday an appeal lodged by a resident of the village of Lebiadzianka, Bialynichy district, Valery Vusik, who challenged an earlier decision by Bialynichy District Court to sentence the activist to a fine of 5 million rubles for alleged libel and for distributing the newspaper “Mahiliouski Vybar.”

26.04.2013 Independent journalists detained in Astravets

Cameraman Aliaksandr Barazenka and journalist Anastasia Yaumen have been detained in the town of Astravets.

26.04.2013 Aleh Hulak: So far we have no reason to consider Andrei Haidukou a political prisoner

The Belarusian Helsinki Committee and the Human Rights Center “Viasna” are concerned about the procedural irregularities in the investigation into the charges brought against Andrei Haidukou.

26.04.2013 Vitsebsk activist sues Ministry of Finance over failure to implement decision by UN Human Rights Committee

The Court of Chyhunachny district of Vitsebsk started yesterday its first session to hear the lawsuit brought by pro-democratic activist Antanina Pivanos against the Chief Directorate of the Ministry of Finance.

26.04.2013 Hrodna human rights defender summoned to KGB

Hrodna human rights defender and journalist Uladzimir Khilmanovich has been summoned to the KGB’s regional department after he received a phone call from a KGB officer Dalhikh.

26.04.2013 Viasna’s website resumes work after hacker attack

Several publications posted on the website of the Human Rights Center “Viasna” were distorted, after hackers gained unauthorized access to the website last evening. The hacker attack affected all the three language versions.

25.04.2013 UCP Mahiliou activists denied permission to hold Yury Zakharanka memorial picket

Mahiliou city executive committee banned a memorial picket to mark the 14th anniversary of the disappearance of former Minister of Defense Yury Zakharanka on the grounds that the UCP activists were going to stage the event in a location not approved by the officials.

25.04.2013 Political prisoner Ales Bialiatski thanks singer Loreen for support

Ales Bialiatski wrote a letter to thank the winner of “Eurovision-2012” Loreen, who has repeatedly demonstrated her solidarity with the imprisoned human rights defender and his family.

25.04.2013 Family of executed Uladzislau Kavaliou petition authorities to unveil burial site

The mother and sister of Uladzislau Kavaliou, executed on charges of committing a terrorist act in Minsk metro in April 2011, have addressed President Lukashenka with a petition to unveil his burial site. Similar appeals were sent to the Interior Ministry and the Committee for State Security (KGB).

25.04.2013 Dunja Mijatovic: I will fight for Belarusian journalists

Conference on journalist security started on 23 April in Warsaw.

25.04.2013 Belpartizan website hacked

The Belarusian independent website was hacked on the morning April 25. The homepage demonstrated an address from anonymous hackers who claimed to be adherents of the Anonymous group.

25.04.2013 Baranavichy: Free Trade Union denied premises for free consultations

On April 24 an employee of the Baranavichy-based hotel “Haryzont-Tur” phoned local civil society activist Viktar Miaziak and reported that the administration would not provide the city office of the free trade union with premises requested by the Union earlier. The employee also said the hotel decided to terminate all relations with the trade union, without specifying any the reasons for this unexpected decision.

25.04.2013 Andrei Kureichyk: “I do not believe that the death penalty will save us from crime” (Video)

Famous Belarusian and Russian screenwriter and actor Andrei Kureichyk signed a petition against the death penalty in Belarus.

24.04.2013 BPF Vitsebsk leader charged with violation of Mass Media Code

“I am accused of the exceeding the number of copies of the party’s newsletter “Magistrate,” which we handed out on March 22. But nobody counted the copies then, and I do not know where the final figure comes from. Moreover, to date, all the copies must have been destroyed. However, they now appear in the new administrative charges I am facing,” says the chairman of the Vitsebsk regional branch of the Belarusian Popular Front Leanid Autukhou.