19.05.2015 Supreme Court dismisses appeal by disabled rights activist
Yury Liashenka, a disabled civil society activist from Svietlahorsk, has received from the Supreme Court a response to his complaint asking the court to cancel the decision of the Svietlahorsk District Court to punish him for illegal picketing.
18.05.2015 House of Representatives: No reasons to decriminalize Article 411
Liudmila Mikhalkova, Chairperson of the Standing Commission on legislation of the House of Representatives of the National Assembly replied to Viasna’s letter concerning possible abolition of Article 411 of the Criminal Code.
18.05.2015 Belarusian government stops correspondence with UN HRC concerning communication by Viciebsk resident
The Belarusian authorities have refused to cooperate with the UN Human Rights Committee in a case of Mikhail Zhurauliou, a resident of Viciebsk who was fined back in 2012 for distributing independent press. Representatives of the government say that Mr. Zhurauliou’s individual communication was prepared and submitted to the Committee by human rights activist Pavel Levinau.
18.05.2015 Mikalai Statkevich: "I do not aspire to be a hero, but I want to be a decent man”
On May 16, Bialyničy journalist Barys Vyrvich received a letter from political prisoner Mikalai Statkevich who is held in the Mahilioŭ-based prison No. 4. In his letter, the former presidential candidate told about the conditions of his detention at the new place of imprisonment.
18.05.2015 European Belarus activist to stand trial for insulting official
On May 20, the Court of Smaliavičy district is expected to hear an administrative case of Maksim Viniarski, activist of the European Belarus opposition movement.
18.05.2015 Sign the petition: Freedom for political prisoners in Belarus!
The Belarusian Human Rights Center Viasna, the Swiss-German association Libereco – Partnership for Human Rights and the independent watchdog organization Freedom House have launched a joint online petition to demand the release of all political prisoners from Belarusian president Lukashenka.
16.05.2015 Information Ministry Targets Independent Websites
Several websites providing independent socio-political news have received letters from the Information Minister; the letters request information about owners of the websites and warn that the websites contain some “violations of the mass media legislation”.
15.05.2015 Viasna joins campaign in support of Bahraini human rights defender Nabeel Rajab
The appeal verdict against Bahraini human rights activist Nabeel Rajab confirming his sentence of six months in jail for insulting government institutions on Twitter, demonstrates the Bahraini authorities’ complete disregard for the right to freedom of expression, said Amnesty International today.
15.05.2015 Prosecutor General's Office answers Tatsiana Reviaka concerning "normalization" of Jews by Lukashenka
Officials of the prosecution believe that the arguments of Tatsiana Reviaka are "disputable". The activist will seek an answer on the merits.
15.05.2015 Baranavičy: first hearing on May Day picket ban
May 14, Baranavičy City and District Court started considering the appeal of civil society activist Ryhor Hryk against the ban on the picket he intended to hold on May 1, issued by the Baranavičy City Executive Committee.
15.05.2015 “Hazieta Slonimskaja” not included in subscription catalog again
May 5, the staff of the regional “Hazieta Slonimskaja” received a letter from the the Republican Unitary Enterprise "Belpošta" (“Belarusian Post”).
15.05.2015 Chocimsk activist warns “double official” about initiation of his deprivation of powers
May 13, Chocimsk activist Valery Karankevich appealed to the member of the Chamber of Representativs of the National Assembly of the Republic of Belarus, representing Kryčaŭ constituency №83, Chairman of the Hrodna Regional Executive Committee Uladzimir Krautsou.
15.05.2015 Kryčaŭ residents continues to seek punishment of policeman for forgery
May 11, Kryčaŭ resident Mikalai Fedarenka appealed to the prosecutor of Kryčaŭ district, asking to investigate the destruction of the register of visitors of Kryčaŭ District Police Department for 2014 and find out the exact date of its destruction. In case of violations of law and other regulations of the Republic of Belarus on the part of officials of the Kryčaŭ DPD he asks to prosecute them because, according to the order of Minister of Internal Affairs the register of visits is to be kept for three years, and later put in the archive.
15.05.2015 Biaroza human rights activists intend to hold a picket demanding release of political prisoners
Biaroza human rights activists have filed an application for a picket on June 28 at the officially designated site, the city stadium, near the entrance from Lenin Street.
14.05.2015 Chairman of the village council considers beautification of mass grave “inexpedient”
Vitciebsk activists were invited to a meeting, which took place in the forest near the village of Hajsy. Excavated human remains are lying there in large pits. The activists have been demanding exhumation, examination and properly reburial of the unidentified persons for six months already.
