The Human Rights Center “Viasna”

April was marked by first steps towards de-escalation of the political conflict between the Belarusian authorities and the European Union. Two political prisoners were released as a result – former presidential candidate Andrei Sannikau and his electioneering agent Dzmitry Bandarenka (on 14 and 15 April respectively). In response to this move the EU refused to take further sanctions against Belarus, while stressing the need to release all political prisoners at the meeting of 23 April.

In March, the human rights situation was strongly dependent on the developments in the foreign policy The unresolved issue of political prisoners increased the confrontation between the Belarusian authorities and the European Union: the reluctance of the official Minsk to eliminate the root cause of the conflict faced a tough and consistent position of the EU.

In February, the absence of positive developments in the field of human rights, especially the unresolved issue of political prisoners was in the center of political relations between the EU and the Belarusian authorities.

In January the human rights situation in Belarus remained critical. 15 prisoners convicted for their political and social activities remained behind bars. The appellate court left in force the verdict to the head of the Human Rights Center "Viasna" Ales Bialiatski. It became known that torture and ill-treatment were used towards another political prisoner, former presidential candidate Andrei Sannikau, with the aim to make him apply to the head of the state for pardon. As a result, he filed such a petition. Political prisoners Mikalai Autukhovich and Mikalai Statkevich were tried for alleged violations of the prison regime. As a result, the conditions of their imprisonment were toughened.

Since its inception in 1996, the human rights organization “Viasna 96”, and then the Human Rights Center Viasna was consequently and ruthlessly persecuted by the Belarusian authorities. All members of this organization were subject to detention, beatings, raids, arrests and fines. A complete list of the facts of persecution would take more than a dozen pages. However, most often the lightning of the state anger fell on the highest point of the organization, its head Ales Bialiatski.

The total sum of fines given to participants of the Stop Petrol protest exceeds 3 mln Belarusian rubles. On 12 June the riot police violently dispersed a spontaneous protest action of drivers at the border crossing point Bruzgi. Human rights defenders demand that the authorities stop cruel treatment and torture of political prison Mikita Likhavid. A member of the United Civil Party, businessman Andrei Bandarenka was acquitted after spending two years in jail. The Belarusian democratic organizations the Belarusian Association of Journalists, the Human Rights Center Viasna and the Free Theater received the Freedom Award at the Wroclaw Global Forum held on 9-11 June.

The trials of the majority of figurants of the “19 December riot” criminal case came to an end in May. 31 people were convicted. However, there remain about 20 suspects and accused who haven't been tried so far. Rodion Marinichev, correspondent for the Russian TV channel Dozhd, was deported from Belarus and banned entry for 5 years. The court left in force the official warning to the private socio-political weekly Nasha Niva. The cassation appeal against the warning issued to the Chair of the Human Rights Center Viasna, Ales Bialiatski, for activities on behalf of unregistered organization, was left standing as well. The Ministry of Justice exercises pressure on lawyers. Convicts make statements about the use of torture during the investigation.

The preliminary investigation into the criminal case was accompanied with serious process violations of the convicts' rights, including: arbitrary detention, violations of the terms and procedures of detention established by the Criminal-Process Code of the Republic of Belarus (CPC), violation of the right to defense, and violation of the presumption of innocence. The detention of I.Alinevich in Moscow and his transportation to the KGB pre-trial prison in Minsk were accompanied with violations of legal procedures including the procedure of extradition of Belarusian citizens to Belarus from the Russian Federation.

Minsk courts pronounced 7 more verdicts in the mass riot criminal case: former presidential candidates Mikalai Statkevich and Dzmitry Us were sentenced to 6 and 5.5 years of imprisonment respectively, Aliaksandr Klaskouski – 5 years, Artsiom Hrybkou – 4 years. Andrei Pazniak was released in the courtroom after he was sentenced to 2 years of compulsory labour without direction to a penal colony. Radio Racyja board chair Yauhen Wapa was not allowed entering Belarus and his visa was cancelled without any explanations. Minsk police detained 7 participants, including 4 human rights defenders, of a round table meeting on the issues of reforming Belarusian Internal Affairs system. President Lukashenka called upon officials to close down the media “engaged in creating panic” in consumer and currency markets.

Three trials of 16 participants of the 19 December 2010 post-election events were finished last week, 9 defendants were convicted under Par. 1 Art. 342 of the Criminal Code (organization and preparation of activities that breach the public order, or active participation in them). On 16 May sentences were handed down to Iryna Khalip, Pavel Seviarynets and Siarhei Martseleu, on 20 May – to Uladzimir Niakliayeu, Siarhei Vazniak, Aliaksandr Fiaduta, Vital Rymasheuski, Andrei Dzmitryeu and Nasta Palazhanka. The verdicts appeared to be rather mild, as compared to the previous ones: those were mostly suspended imprisonment or probation. The pronouncement of sentences to seven more persons involved in the criminal proceedings on riots charges were postponed, including 2 presidential candidates Mikalai Statkevich and Dzmitry Us.