The Human Rights Center “Viasna”

Civil activists of Vitsebsk filed a collective appeal to the head of the regional court, Mikalai Khalimonchyk. Political prisoner Siarhei Kavalenka has been keeping a long-term hunger-strike. He is currently receiving rehabilitation treatment at the psychiatric department of penal colony #3.

Tatsiana Seviarynets, coordinator of the steering committee of the Belarusian Christian Democracy Party, applied to the Vitsebsk Regional Procuracy with the request to hold a check-up at the Vitsebsk regional tuberculosis hospital in the town of Bahusheusk. In particular, she asked to find about the legal reasons for keeping Valery Hancharenka, an adherent of the BCD, in the psychiatric department.

Co-chair of the steering committee of the Belarusian Christian Democracy Party Pavel Seviarynets, who is currently serving a personal restraint term, was banned to maintain mail correspondence with a BCD activist Yauhen Vaskovich, sentenced to 7 years of imprisonment for an attempt to set fire to the Babruisk KGB office in the night of 16-17 October 2010.

Vitsebsk-based activist Tatsiana Seviarynets received a letter from the Pershamaiski District Court of Vitsebsk, signed by court marshal Katsiaryna Tkachonak. According to the letter, the activist shall pay 700,000 rubles fine for the organization of an unauthorized mass event on 3 July (she just proceeded along Lenin Street in a company of friends).

On 12 November civil and political activists of Vitsebsk intend to hold an assembly of the Vitsebsk residents who set forth their demands at the People’s Assembly on 8 October.

Tatsiana Seviarynets, mother of political prisoner Pavel Seviarynets, received a refusal to her personal guarantee for Ales Bialiatski. Similar answers were received by tens of other citizens who signed personal guarantees for him as well.

On 2 September Aliaksandr Lukashenka granted parole to four participants of the peaceful protest action against the rigged presidential election held on 19 December 2010.