26.12.2014 Opposition activist Siarhei Kavalenka detained in Vitsebsk
On December 24, unknown activists placed a huge white-red-white flag on a high-rise building in central Vitsebsk, presumably in support of Yury Belenki, deputy chair of the Conservative Christian Party BPF, who has been fined three times over the past month for organizing a number of authorized rallies in Minsk.
26.12.2014 Human rights activist Alena Tankachova appeals expulsion in court
Alena Tankachova, Director of the Center for Legal Transformation “Lawtrend”, sent on December 24 to the court of Minsk’s Pershamaiski district an appeal against the decision of the district police department to expel her from the country for three years.
26.12.2014 UN Special Rapporteur sums up year in Belarus
2015 will be a key year for Belarus.
26.12.2014 Disability rights activist in Svetlahorsk seeks prosecution for doctors who detained him
Yury Liashenka, an activist for the rights of persons with disabilities in the town of Svetlahorsk, asks the Health Care Minister to punish the doctors who detained him during a picket on November 25, brought him to hospital and made an injection allegedly due to high pressure. The activist believes that this was an example of the use of health care workers in the political persecution of citizens.
24.12.2014 Vitsebsk Regional Court turns down appeals in photo session case
The Vitsebsk Regional Court has heard the appeals of local journalists and activists who were fined for unauthorized picketing as a result of a photo session on November 5. The appeals were dismissed by the court, who did not accept the arguments that it was not picketing, but a photo shoot and upheld the ruling of the Chuhynachny district court.
24.12.2014 Yauhen Vaskovich receives medicines and clothes
Rushaniya Vaskovich, the mother of political prisoner Yauhen Vaskovich, said that she had visited the Mahiliou-based penal colony No. 15 to pass him medicines and vitamins, as her son had health problems.
24.12.2014 Brest journalist fined 6 million
The court of Leninski district of Brest fined a journalist from Brest, Ales Lyauchuk, 40 basic units (6 mln rubles).
24.12.2014 Yury Belenki fined for Dziady for the third time
After three courts for actions in Kurapaty and Loshytsa the total fine to Yury Belenki amounted to Br11 million 250 thousands.
24.12.2014 Pakt human rights NGO registered in Lithuania
The human rights public association “Movement of supporters for the implementation of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights PAKT” has been registered in Lithuania. This was announced by the NGO’s executive director Leanid Sudalenka. According to him, it is impossible to receive official registration in Belarus, because the authorities suppress any initiative created without its control.
24.12.2014 UN Human Rights Committee rules in favor of For Freedom activist Vital Symonik
The United Nations Human Rights Committee has considered the case of an activist of the Movement For Freedom Vital Symonik and found a violation of his right to disseminate information (Art. 19 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights).
24.12.2014 Shklou: Ryhor Kastusiou fined
On December 23, the Shklou District Court fined Ryhor Kastusiou, deputy chairman of the BPF party, 3.37 mln rubles for participation in the celebration of the Day of Remembrance of Kastus Kalinouski rebels in Svislach on October 26.
24.12.2014 Human rights activist Leanid Svetsik: It is necessary to solve the problem of life and health insurance of prisoners
Vitsebsk human rights activist Leanid Svetsik has written to the House of Representatives with a proposal to consider the issue of life and health insurance of prisoners (convicts). MPs have forwarded the proposal to the Department of Corrections and the Ministry of Finance. The latter answered that the authorities were not interested in the introduction of compulsory insurance of life and health of persons held in prison.
23.12.2014 Expert opinion on the case of Homel activist Yury Rubtsou
On December 21, it was reported that opposition activist Yury Rubtsou had been sent to open-type correctional facility No. 7 in the village of Kuplin, Pruzhany district, Brest region.
23.12.2014 Belarus has new political prisoner – Yury Rubtsou
Joint statement by the Human Rights Center “Viasna” and the Belarusian Helsinki Committee.
23.12.2014 Death convict’s mother asks President to change law that prohibits returning bodies to families
Volha Hrunova, the mother of Aliaksandr Hrunou, who was executed for the brutal murder of a student in Homel, petitions the President, both Houses of Parliament, the Supreme Court and the Government asking the officials to propose the Constitutional Court to amend the Criminal Executive Code, which prohibits returning the body of the executed person and disclosing the places of their burial.
