19.11.2009 Brest resident to appeal picket ban

Pavel Kazlou, a 73-year-old resident of Brest, has lodged a complaint with Brest Regional Court against the decision to ban a picket by Brest Leninski Court, the BelaPAN news agency reports. The activist’s aim was to attract public attention to the issue of ‘indifference of local officials while considering people’s applications’, as well as violations of the Law on Public Appeals. In 2008 Mr. Kazlou was deprived of a working license.

18.11.2009 Authorities ignore complaint by family of missing person

16 November was the deadline for the Belarusian authorities to provide their comments on the complaint submitted to the UN Human Rights Committee by the family of the disappeared Anatol Krasouski. The complaint submitted by Iryna and Valerya Krasouskis was registered by the Committee on 16 November 2008, its copy being sent to the respondent, www.ciwr.org reports. The Belarusian authorities were initially to respond to the complaint by 16 May 2009. However, they demanded translating the document in Russian, instead, and thus received 6 more months for providing their comments. As yet, there is no reply to the complaint.

30.10.2009 BAJ never got answer to complaint regarding attack on journalists

The Ministry of Internal Affairs and Minsk prosecutor’s office haven’t responded to the appeal of the Belarusian Association of Journalists regarding the events on September 16.

The journalists are going to file a complaint to higher authorities if an answer is not received by next week.

Euroradio learnt this from BAJ deputy head, lawyer Andrei Bastunets.

“Theoretically, the letter might have been sent, but a post office hasn’t delivered it. We are going to wait for some days, if we don’t get a response, we’ll complain.

29.10.2009 Mother of capitally convicted person addresses UN Human Rights Committee with complaint

The mother of Andrei Zhuk, who was sentenced to death for alleged murder of two persons in February 2009, has submitted an individual complaint with the UN Human Rights Committee, claiming that in the course of the investigation and the trial, a number of provisions of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights were violated, namely the right to life, the right to freedom of torture, the right to individual liberty and personal immunity and the right to a fair trial. The woman also calls upon the Committee to immediately address Belarus, as a party to the Covenant, with a demand to suspend executing the death sentence before the consideration of the case on the merits.

28.10.2009 Militia didn’t answer to BAJ appeal over attack on journalists

The Belarusian Association of Journalists (BAJ) hasn’t received an answer to its appeal concerning the events on September 16, though the deadline was on October 23.

BAJ head Zhanna Litvina told journalists would wait for a reply for a day.

“We haven’t got an official response. Maybe, it was sent on the final day, it may have taken more time because of the weekend. We are waiting until tomorrow,” Litvina told in an interview to Euroradio.

We remind that on September 16, officers of the law enforcement agencies used physical force to hinder journalist of Belarusian and foreign media to perform their professional duties. This happened during a picket of memory of politician Viktar Hanchar and businessman Anatol Krasouski, disappeared 10 years ago.

27.10.2009 Andrei Zhuk: pardon appeal rejected

The Board for Criminal Cases of the Supreme Court has turned down the appeal for pardon by Andrei Zhuk, sentenced to death for alleged murder of six persons. During the court session, the convict's legal advisors presented a number of evidence, stating the severe sentence could be reduced. They also spoke in favour of the abolition of the death penalty. In his last word, Mr. Zhuk admitted his guilt, but asked to reduce the verdict.

26.10.2009 Young Front activist Ilyin to appeal illegal arrest

Mikhail Ilyin, member of the Young Front Brest office, has lodged a complaint with the General Prosecutor’s Office against his arrest in August 2009. According to human rights activist Raman Kisliak, on 17 August Mikhail Ilyin, together with local For Freedom coordinator Dzianis Turchaniak, held a flash-mob action in downtown Brest. The activists were approached by tow persons in plain clothes and as a result they were arrested. They were taken to Brest Leninski police department and charged with ‘disorderly conduct’. On 25 August Brest Leninski Court found Mikhail Ilyin guilty and fined him BYR 140,000. In his complaint, the activist states that the fact of his arrest, as well as the use of force violate his right to freedom and personal immunity, guaranteed by Article 9 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights.

23.10.2009 Human rights activist keeps reminding Foreign Ministry about its commitments

Baranavichy human rights activist Siarhei Housha has lodged a repeated complaint with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, voicing his opposition to the Ministry’s reply, which named the Optional Protocol as ‘not having a binding effect’ for the parties to the Treaty to implement the conclusions by the UN Human Rights Committee. In his complaint, the human rights activist stresses that the conclusions by the Committee ARE binding, which is stated in Article 61 of the Belarusian Constitution, securing everyone’s right, under international legal acts, ratified by Belarus, to address international organizations to protect one’s rights and freedoms, in case he or she is unable to find rehabilitation within the national legal system. According to the universal international law, a country which is a party to an international treaty must implement its provisions, which is enshrined in the Vienna Convention, to which Belarus is a party.

20.10.2009 UN Human Rights Committee registers complaint by activist Halina Yubko

The Geneva-based UN Human Rights Committee has registered an individual complaint submitted by Minsk resident Halina Yubko, the Nasha Niva newspaper reports. In her interview with the BelaPAN news agency, Mrs.Yubko said that on 19 January 2007 she applied for holding a picket to Minsk city authorities. She, together with 50 other women from all over the country, was going to express her dissent to the conviction judgments awarded to their relatives for civil and criminal offences. The picket was meant to attract public and governmental attention to the issue of violating Constitutional rights and international treaties while considering criminal and civil cases.

03.09.2009 Court turns down claim by For Freedom activist

Judge Iryna Smaliakova of Vitsebsk Regional Court has turned down a complaint by For Freedom activist Leanid Autukhou demanding a reversal of her verdict to fine the activist BYR 1,400,000 for participating in an Independence Day action on 27 July. Mr.Autukhou provided numerous evidence of his innocence. However, the judge ignored them, as well as certain procedural violations. The activist says he is going to appeal the decision at the UN Human Rights Committee.

28.08.2009 New Life church Protestants to complain at UN about Belarusian authorities

Members of New Life Church continue the all-day pray in their church protesting against persecution by the authorities.

As Radio Svaboda reports, there are no more court instances where the church members could apply to defend their rights.

“We are considering a question on making a complaint to the Human Rights Committee,” the lawyer of the church Syarhei Lukanin says.

The church members held a general meeting and decided not to organize street actions and not to go on hunger strike protesting against the actions by the authorities.

26.08.2009 Vileika Court turns down complaint by local UCPB activist

Vileika District Court has turned down a complaint by a local UCPB activist Uladzimir Maliarchuk against the restrictions of meeting and picket locations. In her verdict, Judge Alena Artsimovich says that ‘decisions concerning locations of mass actions, as well as restricted locations, are within the jurisdiction of local executive and regulatory authorities.’ According to Mr.Maliarchuk, Vileika town authorities have assigned two locations for holding pickets and meetings, both situated on the town outskirts. In his complaint, he said that locations assignment itself ‘is an illegal restriction of citizens’ rights and freedoms.’ The activists demanded to lift any restrictions, since they ‘do not meet Constitutional and international standards.’

31.07.2009 Activist Kruk demands unbiased inspection of his case

Ivan Kruk, public activist from the town of Astravets, Hrodna region, one of the initiators of the public campaign against the construction of a nuclear power plant, has lodged another complaint with Hrodna Regional Prosecutor’s Office demanding to initiate another full and unbiased inspection of his previous claim, which was left unattended by the authorities. ‘Astravets policemen, together with court officials and representatives of the local Prosecutor’s Office, had a political motivation to prosecute me at any cost. Meanwhile, they made a number of procedural mistakes while considering the materials of my civil prosecution,’ said Mr.Kruk in his complaint. On 26 June Astravets District Court fined Ivan Kruk BYR 700,000 for distributing independent media. The complaint was also sent to the International Federation of Human Rights and a number of Belarusian mass media.

28.07.2009 Court reduces sentence to Ales Straltsou in violation to Law on Amnesty

One of the participants of the ‘Case of 14’ Ales Straltsou has lodged a complaint with Minsk City Court against the verdict of Minsk Tsentralny Court of 15 June 2009, which reduced the activist’s sentence. However, Ales Straltsou must have been freed from the punishment under the Law on Amnesty. In April 2008 Ales Straltsou was sentenced to two years of imprisonment for ‘peace disturbance’ during the January 2008 entrepreneurs’ rally in Minsk. The sentence was later reduced to 14 months of imprisonment and 15 days of correctional work.