The Human Rights Center “Viasna”

12.05.2011 Criminal case against Salihorsk anarchists

One of the main episodes of the criminal case against Salihorsk anarchists is the assault on a police station in Salihorsk on 9 March 2010. The offenders broke the windows and threw in a pyrotechnic device. Anarchists openly took responsibility for the action and even uploaded a video to the Internet. The reasons for the action were unlawful actions of the local police and driving a local human rights defender Yana Paliakova to suicide (she hanged herself after being sentenced to imprisonment for political reasons).

10.05.2011 Andrei Pachobut is left behind bars

Journalist Andrei Pachobut, charged under two articles of the Criminal Code – Article 368, part 1 of the Criminal Code, “defamation of President of the Republic of Belarus”, and Article 367, part 1, “libel against President of the Republic of Belarus”, was visited by his counsel, Aliaksandr Birylau.

10.05.2011 Asipovichy: what for do KGB and police need confiscated guitar?

Officers of law-enforcement agencies still haven't returned the confiscated guitar, private diaries, drafts of songs and laptop to Ihar Simbirou, an activist of the electoral team of presidential candidate Uladzimir Niakliayeu.

10.05.2011 Weekly review of post-election situation in Belarus (2-8 May)

Trials of 22 accused in the 19 December “mass riot” case continued in four district courts of Minsk. Dzmitry Drozd, Uladzimir Khamichenka, Ales Kirkevich, Andrei Pratasenia and Pavel Vinahradau were found guilty under Article 293 of the Criminal Code by Ala Bulash, Judge of the Kastrychnitski District Court of Minsk. The verdict was very harsh: Kirkevich and Vinahradau were sentenced to 4 years in a high-security prison and all the rest – to 3 years. Five more human rights defenders, representatives of the International Observation Mission, were deported from Belarus. The right to freedom of associations and expression is still violated, persecution of civil and political activists is going on as well.

06.05.2011 Valiantsin Stefanovich: “We declare the convicts political prisoners”

The lawyer stated it in his interview to RFE/RL, commenting on the verdicts to Dzmitry Drozd, Uladzimir Khamichenka, Ales Kirkevich, Andrei Pratasenia and Pavel Vinahradau. Mr. Stefanovuch watched the whole trial of these participants of the protest action of 19 December 2010.

05.05.2011 Incident at the trial of Vital Rymasheuski

The trial of the co-Chair of the organizing committee of the Belarusian Christian Democracy Vital Rymasheuski at the Frunzenski was marked with a rather unpleasant incident. Police major Maksim Hryshchanka clang to Tatsiana Seviarynets, the mother of another political prisoner, Pavel Seviarynets, and tried to tear down a white-red-white ribbon from her neck.

05.05.2011 Criminal persecution of participants of 19 December protest action: the trial of Daronin, Fedarkevich, Kazlou, Loban, Matsukevich and Sakret has started

The trial of Dzmitry Daronin, Aleh Fedarkevich, Siarhei Kazlou, Uladzimir Loban, Vital Matsukevich and Yauhen Sakret started at the Maskouski District Court of Minsk on 5 May. The defendants are accused of participation in mass disorders. Alena Shylko is the judge.

Criminal persecution of participants of 19 December protest action: trial of Dzmitryieu, Fiaduta, Niakliayeu, Palazhanka, Rymasheuski and Vazniak has started

05.05.2011 Criminal persecution of participants of 19 December protest action: trial of Dzmitryieu, Fiaduta, Niakliayeu, Palazhanka, Rymasheuski and Vazniak has started

The trial of the criminal cases against Andrei Dzmitryieu, Aliaksandr Fiaduta, Uladzimir Niakliayeu, Anastasia Palazhanka, Vital Rymasheuski and Siarhei Vazniak has started today at the Frunzenski District Court of Minsk. All of them are charged with the organization and preparation of actions that grossly violate the public order, or active participation them (Article 342 of the Criminal Code, part 1), which envisages up to 3 years of imprisonment.

05.05.2011 Trials for 19 December protest action: sentences to Drozd, Khamichenka, Kirkevich, Pratasenia and Vinahradau announced

The trials of Dzmitry Drozd, Uladzimir Khamichenka, Ales Kirkevich, Aliaksei Pratasenia and Pavel Vinahradau are coming to an end. On 4 May prosecutor Barouski demanded 4 years of imprisonment for Kirkevich and Vinahradau, 3.5 years – for Drozd and 3 years for Khamichenka and Pratasenia.

29.04.2011 Anarchists’ case reaches court

The criminal cases of Belarusian anarchists Ihar Alinevich, Mikalai Dziadok, Aliaksandr Frantskevich and Maksim Vetkin will be heard by Judge Mrs. Zhanna Khvainitskaya of Minsk Zavodski District Court between 18 and 23 May.

28.04.2011 Prisoner’s Godparenthood: Marek Migalski adopts Dzmitry Bandarenka

Marek Migalski, a substitute to the European Parliament’s Delegation for relations with Belarus takes over a prisoner’s godparenthood for Dzmitry Bandarenka.

27.04.2011 Zmitser Bandarenka sentenced to 2 years of imprisonment in 19 December trial

On 27 April, Judge Tatsiana Ravinskaya of Minsk Pershamaiski District Court sentenced Zmitser Bandarenka, coordinator of the European Belarus civil campaign, to 2 years of imprisonment in a general security penal colony.

25.04.2011 International Observation Mission calls for publicity of 19 December trials

The International Observation Mission has addressed chairs of Minsk district courts with a demand to guarantee the publicity of the forthcoming court proceedings on charges against the persons involved in the 19 December 2010 mass riot criminal case.