News on the topic: human rights defenders
15.12.2008 Vitsebsk: unlawful placement to psychiatric hospital
On 11 December 15-year-old schoolboy Maxim Andreyeu was placed to the closed department of Vitsebsk oblast psychiatric hospital athwart his will and without parents’ agreement. On 12 December he was proposed sign in the anamnesis (allegedly that he is already 15 years old). As it was found later, he signed under ‘agreement to placement in the psychiatric hospital).
15.12.2008 Slovakia condemns Belarus for harassment of human rights defenders
The Foreign Ministry of Slovakia condemns arrests of civil activists in Minsk on 10 December.
12.12.2008 Another complaint to UN
Vitsebsk human rights defenders Alexander Mikulin and Leanid Svetsik filed to the UN Human Rights Committee a complaint concerning the registered violations during the election to the Chamber of Representatives of the fourth Convocation.
11.12.2008 Actions of Zhodzina human rights defenders evoked only positive emotions among citizens
On 10 December a number of festive actions dedicated to the 60th anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights were held in Zhodzina. Human rights defenders and civil society activists distributed the Universal Declaration of Human Rights in the streets, at the procuracy, at the executive committee, at the youth center, at a number of secondary schools, at the check-point of the Belarusian Automobile Plant. In some cases other informational materials were distributed as well. Color posters with description of all articles of the Declaration were presented to officers of the abovementioned state institutions.
11.12.2008 Baranavichy: human rights activists congratulate youth
On 10 December in Baranavichy human rights activists V.Bolbat, S.Housha, K.Piatrovich and V.Syrytsa congratulated citizens on the anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights by distribution of brochures with the text of this document among population out in the streets. A special attention was paid to youth.
11.12.2008 10 December: chronicle of celebration (incomplete)
On 10 December the 60th Anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights was celebrated in Belarus. The event was marked by numerous detentions and other hindrance from the side of the Belarusian authorities.
11.12.2008 Hrodna: harassment of civil activists continues
Civil and political activists are still detained in Hrodna. In the morning the road police stopped the car by which a member of the For Freedom movement Ales Zarembiuk, the head of Hrodna city organization of the Belarusian Popular Front Party Vadzim Saranchukou and the head of Hrodna oblast organization of the Belarusian Social Democratic Hramada Viktar Sazonau were driving. The car was guarded to the building of the narcological dispensary.
11.12.2008 Ales Bialiatski: ‘It is prohibited to distribute Declaration of Human Rights in the country that signed it’
Vice president of the International Federation for Human Rights comments on the arrests in Minsk at 60th anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights proclamation.
11.12.2008 Bararanavichy authorities ignore anniversary of Universal Declaration of Human Rights
In Baranavichy human rights activists haven’t been allowed celebrating the 60th anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.
10.12.2008 Belarus celebrates 60th anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights: about 30 detentions
Celebration of the 60th anniversary of the Human Rights Declaration in Belarus was marked with mass (and in some cases, quite rude) detentions of human rights defenders and civil activists.
10.12.2008 Hrodna: detention of journalist Ivan Roman
On 10 December in Hrodna the police detained independent journalist Ivan Roman and guarded him to Leninski district police department. The detention took place while he was implementing his professional duties at an action of the local human rights activists, dedicated to the 60th anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. The journalist showed to the policemen his badge, but it did not stop them.
10.12.2008 National Human Rights Award 2008
The organizing committee of Charter’97 determined nominees for National Human Rights Award 2008. Prize For Personal Courage is given to Alexander Barazenka, Andrei Kim, Siarhei Parsiukevich, and Halina Yubko. Yuliya Darashkevich won in the nomination For Defence of Freedom of Speech Principles.
10.12.2008 Hrodna: arrest of human rights activists
Human rights activists of Hrodna organized a street action dedicated to the 60th anniversary of proclamation of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. Members of human rights organizations were distributing UDHR texts among Hrodna dwellers.
09.12.2008 Brest: detentions on the eve of the 60th anniversary of Universal Declaration of Human Rights
On 9 December at a mini-market in Brest the police detained Valiantsin Lazarenka and Zinaida Mikhniuk, activists of the local independent trade unions. They handed out invitations to the authorized meeting scheduled for 10 December.
05.12.2008 Hunger-strike on Human Rights Day
On 10 December the Young Front declares a nationwide hunger-strike to mark the end of the organization’s campaign ‘Communism must be brought to tribunal!’. As the Young Front press service informs, at first the organization intended to finish the anti-communist campaign on 8 December, the day when the USSR dissolved. However, later it was decided to postpone the end of the campaign because of the trial over the political prisoner Alexander Barazenka that will start on 10 December as well.
