21.02.2014 Candidate’s mandate revoked 4 hours after registration
Yaraslau Bernikovich, activist of the "Tell the Truth" campaign running for the Hlybokaye District Council, received yesterday a certificate of registration from the district election commission. However, at about 3 p.m. the same day an election official phoned him to report that his registration would be canceled.
20.02.2014 Another prosecutor’s warning to independent journalist
On February 19, Yury Dziashuk was once again summoned to the Prosecutor's Office, where the journalist received an official warning, referring to a ban on working for foreign media without accreditation, as well as the inadmissibility of publication of unverified information. The journalist, however, could not obtain a written copy of the warning, the press-service of the Belarusian Association of Journalists reports.
20.02.2014 Two opposition members in Homel not registered as candidates for Parliament
The district election commission of Homel’s constituency No. 36 held its meetings today to approve the registration of candidates for Parliament. The constituency was the only one that failed to elect a MP back in the 2012 general elections, after a pro-government candidate, aide to the president in the Homel region Ihar Prakapenka withdrew his nomination, just like the opposition candidate, UCP member Uladzimir Niapomniashchykh. A candidate representing the LDP did not receive the necessary amount of votes.
20.02.2014 Blogger in Babruisk faces four criminal charges
The confrontation of blogger Aleh Zhalnou and police is still underway in Babruisk. Over the past year, the blogger has faced 14 cases: one civil, nine administrative, and four criminal charges. Another criminal case was opened against Aleh’s son, Aliaksei. In certain cases, lawsuits have already reached the court, but most trials are yet to start in Babruisk.
20.02.2014 Public control of prisons: Legislative restrictions
What is the meaning of the phrase “on the basis and in the manner prescribed by law” included in the rule of the Code providing public associations with the right to control the activities of prisons? Is control by the PMCs efficient?
20.02.2014 BPF activist appeals denial of registration as candidate
The election commission of Zavodski district of Minsk denied yesterday registration to a candidate for the Minsk City Council Iliya Dabratvor. The potential candidate representing the Belarusian Popular Front was going to run in the city’s constituency No. 1.
20.02.2014 Election officials block opposition candidates in Vitsebsk
A number of members of opposition parties and pro-democratic NGOs were not registered as candidates for the Vitsebsk City Council, including the most famous persons of the region, human rights defender Pavel Levinau, coordinator of the organizing committee of the Belarusian Christian Democracy Tatsiana Seviarynets, coordinator of the movement “For Freedom” in Vitsebsk region Khrystafor Zhaliapau, coordinator of the campaign “Tell the Truth” in the Vitsebsk region Lidziya Sahidulina and others.
20.02.2014 Police chief in Klimavichy refuses to prosecute employee over slander
Alena Marchanka, resident of the village of Damamerychy, Klimavichy district, sent a complaint to the chief of Mahiliou regional police department and the district prosecutor, requesting to cancel the decision of an unknown employee of the police department, who ordered to drop defamation charges against police sergeant Panasenka. Ms. Marchanka urges the officials not to miss the period provided for bringing the policeman to administrative responsibility.
20.02.2014 Supreme Court to consider appeal against repeated death sentence for Aliaksandr Hrunou
The Judicial Board for Criminal Cases of the Supreme Court is expected to hear on April 8 an appeal filed by Aliaksandr Hrunou, 25, who was repeatedly sentenced to death for the brutal murder of a woman.
19.02.2014 Young Front activist appeals psychiatric abuse
Aliaksandr Latyshau from Zhlobin filed a complaint with the head of department of health of Homel Regional Executive Committee after he was referred for a psychiatric examination at a mental hospital “in connection with his earlier participation in the Young Front.”
19.02.2014 EU views only six Belarusians as political prisoners, rights defender says
Minsk, 18 February. The European Union views only six citizens of Belarus as political prisoners, Valyantsin Stefanovich, deputy chairman of a human rights organization called Vyasna (Spring), told European Radio for Belarus on Monday evening with reference to the ambassador of an EU country.
19.02.2014 CEC amends regulations for observers after petition by BHC
The Central Commission for Elections and National Referendums granted today an appeal of the Belarusian Helsinki Committee and amended its Regulation on the Delegation of Observers to Polling Stations. Observers can now be delegated by the central governing bodies of political parties and other public associations.
19.02.2014 Mahiliou journalists harassed by law enforcement and officials
Chairman of the Mahiliou Regional Executive Committee Piotr Rudnik ordered to “grind to the dust” a local independent small-circulation newspaper called “Nash Mahiliou” (“Our Mahiliou”), while the local freelance journalist Aliaksandr Burakou has been harassed by the police over his contribution for the independent media.
18.02.2014 Vital Rymasheuski to be tried for picket
Minsk's Kastrychnitski district police department launched administrative proceedings against the politician.
18.02.2014 Viasna fails to protect website in court
Judge Alena Siamak of the Tsentralny District Court of Minsk considered today a complaint filed by deputy chairman of the Human Rights Center "Viasna" Valiantsin Stefanovich to challenge a decision of the Prosecutor General's Office to blacklist the spring96.org website as a resource with restricted access. The judge previously considered the case of a travel ban imposed on a number of Belarusian human rights defenders.
