The Human Rights Center “Viasna”

News on the topic: historical heritage

07.11.2011 Destruction of historical heritage in Slonim and Vitsebsk

Mechyslau Kastsiuk, now a member of the Chamber of Representatives of the National Assemblies of Belarus, headed the Slonim District Executive Committee in 2002-2008. A monument of wooden architecture, mansion on Chkalau Street, was destroyed during this time. The mansion was situated in a small public garden. It was constructed in 1923 and followed the traditions in the construction of mansions of 18-19 centuries. Though it was ruined, the mansion is still present in the local register of monuments of architecture.

16.05.2011 Orsha residents try to protect historical heritage

Orsha residents collect signatures for restoration of the cloister constructed at the end of the 18th century, one of the few historical objects which survived wars and vandal acts. However, recently its roof has fallen in, after which the state of the building is rapidly deteriorating.

06.09.2010 Detentions of activists of Belarusian Christian Democracy

The Minsk police keep detaining the activists of the Belarusian Christian Democracy who are collecting signatures for returning St. Joseph’s church to believers.

02.03.2009 Supreme Court turns down Siarhei Panamarou’s cassation complaint

The deputy head of the Supreme Court Valer Kalinkovich upheld the verdict of Kletsk district court, according to which an activist of For Freedom movement was fined for allegedly preparing an unsanctioned mass action.

08.10.2008 Anton Astapovich accuses procuracy of inaction

Anton Astapovich, chairman of the Belarusian voluntary society for protection of the monuments of history and culture addressed the procurator general with a letter in order to express his indignation at the passiveness of the procuracy in protection of historical and cultural heritage.

28.05.2008 Public statement of Belarusian voluntary society for protection of monuments of history and culture

In 2004 the building which belonged to the voluntary society for protection of monuments of history and culture and was restored at the expense of the organization (as well as almost all buildings in this historical block), was unlawfully nationalized for the benefit of the state. The state proved to be shameless enough to make the former investor a renter. Then, executing a new presidential decree for economical liquidation of the civil society, the authorities refused to prolong the rent agreement to the voluntary society. Instead, it was proposed that the organization should leave its premises by 3 p.m. on 15 May 2008.

02.05.2008 Hrodna: pupils prohibited to participate in historical scientific conference

Siarhei Batura and Aliaksandr Liutomski, pupils of Hrodna school #28, and their teacher Aliaksandr Rabkou were prohibited to take part in the historical scientific conference.

09.04.2008 Hrodna: historians refuse to participate in scientific conference

Ten Belarusian historians refused to take part in the international historical conference dedicated to the 880th anniversary of Hrodna after the doctors of historical sciences Ales Krautsevich and Ales Smalianchuk were deprived of the right to take part in it.

19.02.2008 State Organs Decrease the Secured Zones of Kurapaty Mass Grave

Anton Astapovich, chairman of the council of the Belarusian voluntary society for protection of the monuments of history and culture, said to BelaPAN: ‘At the end of November 2007 I applied to the Ministry of Culture for permission to familiarize with the scheme of the secured zones of the Kurapaty forest and receiving a copy of this document, because on 20 May 2003 the Belarusian republican scientific center on the issues of historical and cultural heritage had adopted a scheme of the secured zones of the mass grave, which has not been presented to public.