News on the topic: freedom of association
15.12.2009 Supreme Court turns down lawsuit of Belarusian Party of Workers against Ministry of Justice
As said to the BelaPAN by the leader of the organizing committee of the Belarusian Party of Workers Aliaksandr Bukhvostau, on 15 December the Supreme Court of Belarus didn’t grant the lawsuit of the party concerning its’ non-registration by the Ministry of Justice.
10.12.2009 Belarusian Christian Democracy denied registration once again
On 9 December the Justice Ministry denied state registration to the Belarusian Christian Democracy party for the second time this year.
09.12.2009 MFA denied accreditation to ‘BelSat’
According to Mikhail Yanchuk, head of Minsk office Polish TV channel BelSat, the correspondent station of BelSat in Minsk was denied registration by the Belarusian Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
07.12.2009 Detention for blue ribbons
Activist of the civil campaign European Belarus Stefan Korf was detained by police patrol near Kuntsaushchyna metro station.
07.12.2009 Youth leaders Dashkevich and Afnahel kidnapped by unidentified persons
Zmitser Dashkevich, Young Front leader, was seized by unknown persons in mufti when he was opening the doors of his apartment.
04.12.2009 ‘European Belarus’ activist demands investigation of his abduction
Uladzimir Lemesh has lodged a complaint to the Prosecutor’s office of the Tsentralny district of Minsk, requiring procuracy check in connection with his abduction by the police on 27 November.
02.12.2009 Article 193-1: 4 years of illegal activity
It is 4 years since criminal liability for illegal NGO membership was introduced to the Criminal Code. ‘The anniversary’ was marked by the release of a satirical cartoon criticizing the infamous article, as part of the campaign for its repeal. The cartoon can be viewed at the Assembly of Pro-Democratic NGOs’ official web-site.
30.11.2009 “European Belarus” activist kidnapped and taken out of town
Uladzimir Lemesh was caught in the center of Minsk on November 27, forced to get into a car without license plates and taken out of town.
The oppositionist was detained by two militiamen ahead of a street action in honour of an anniversary of the Slutsk Uprising near the editor’s office of “Vyacherni Minsk” in Independence Avenue and ordered to show his ID.
20.11.2009 Mahiliouski chas newspaper denied registration again
The Ministry of Information has turned down the application for state registration by the Mahiliou-based Mahiliouski chas independent newspaper, claiming that the applicants failed to provide all the necessary documents.
19.11.2009 Salihorsk-plus independent newspaper not registered yet
According to the Belarusian Association of Journalists, the Salihorsk-based ‘Salihorsk-plus’ independent newspaper has received a reply to its application for state registration from the Ministry of Information, claiming that the edition’s declared specialization does not meet Article 12 of the Law on the Press, since it ‘violates the state standards.’ Thus, the newspaper has been denied registration for the second time. Uladzimir Shyla, founder of the newspaper, thinks that the Ministry of Information has been using imaginary grounds for rejecting the applications. The BAJ lawyers support the journalists, saying that the Ministry abuses its authority.
16.11.2009 Organizing committee of Belarusian Party of Workers sues Ministry of Justice
On 12 November the organizing committee of the Belarusian Party of Workers filed to the Supreme Court a complaint against the registration denial to the Ministry of Justice.
16.11.2009 Cultural-educational civil association ‘Golden Lion’ denied registration
The main justice department of Hrodna oblast executive committee denied the state registration to the Cultural-educational association ‘Golden Lion’ from Slonim.
16.11.2009 Santa Clauses received answer from Office of Prosecutor General
The General Prosecutor’s Office found the activities of Santa Clauses on New Year’s Eve illegal. The group of Santa Clauses will be brought to responsibility if it will be established that they take systematic part in an unregistered organization, says the letter of the General Prosecutor’s Office.
16.11.2009 Ales Bialiatski: ‘There ten times more NGOs in Armenia than in Belarus’
According to information of the BelaPAN Aleh Slizheuski, head of the civil associations board of the Ministry of Justice, stated that there was prepared a draft law that would decrease the legal terms for consideration of the documents submitted for NGOs for obtaining the state registration (at present the legal term is one month). The official also stated that the procedure of registration would be simplified.
12.11.2009 MFA advises Siarhei Housha to address local court organs for implementation of opinion of UN Human Rights Committee
Finally the human rights defender from Baranavichy Siarhei Housha got an answer to his inquiries to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Belarus about who must implement the decisions of the UN Human Rights Committee.
