The Human Rights Center “Viasna”

Eighteen mass events have been banned by Salihorsk town authorities since the beginning of the year alone, with six more pickets banned on 2 February, local human rights defender Uladzimir Shyla says.

The Salihorsk authorities have recently banned six events organized by the local civil and political activists. The formal reason in all cases is alleged violation of Article 8 of the Law “On Mass Events” - placement of information about the actions on the web before their authorization.

Viktar Malochka, retired police lieutenant-colonel, applied to the Prosecutor General, A.Kaniuk, with the request to hold a repeated check-up concerning his unlawful detentions in summer 2011 and false testimonies given by officers of the Salihorsk District Police Department.

Salihorsk authorities have banned two more street events – a picket and a meeting scheduled for 21 January and 22 January, respectively.

Salihorsk pro-democratic activists will not be able to stage a picket in support of political prisoners and a meeting to discuss the results of the 4th All-Belarusian Assembly, after their applications were rejected by local executive authorities.

The problem of forced subscription to state-owned press is getting more acute in Salihorsk. Earlier this practice concerned predominately workers of large enterprises and entrepreneurs, but at present even parents whose children go to state kindergartens are forced to subscribe too.

Some Salihorskers wanted to hold a festive New Year action for low-income families, whose members cannot afford to call Santa Claus for their children. They phoned to the education department in order to get the addresses of such families. They said that they have the appropriate costumes and gifts and wanted to hold a charitable action for Salihorsk children.

A 23-year-old resident of the village of Starobin, Salihorsk district, accused of murdering his daughter was unable to meet with his lawyer for two months, say local activists of the Belarusian Helsinki Committee.

Former lieutenant-colonel of Salihorsk financial police Viktar Malochka keeps fighting for the rehabilitation of his rights, reportedly violated by two arbitrary detentions during so called “silent protests” on 15 and 22 June.

Salihorsk-based civil activist Aliaksei Valabuyeu received a telephone call to his mobile. A police inspector told him to come for fingerprinting. Aliaksei refused, as he had been fingerprinted before. He also told the policeman that he could come to them only after receiving an official summon.