22.08.2012 Ales Bialiatski spoken about in Thailand
Mr. Shiwei Ye, activist of the International Federation for Human Rights’ office in Bangkok, attended a meeting on the situation with human rights in Belarus to tell about the FIDH’s imprisoned vice-president Ales Bialiatski.
18.08.2012 Anton Surapin and Siarhei Basharymau released on recognizance
On August 17, 2012 Siarhei Basharymau and Anton Surapin, realtor and journalist facing charges under Par. 6 Art. 16 and Par. 3 Art. 371 of the Criminal Code, have been released on recognizance, the KGB official web-site reports.
17.08.2012 Report on the Results of Monitoring Registration of Initiative Groups and Signature Collection in Support of the Persons Nominated As Candidates for Deputies
General Conclusions:
- The vast majority of the initiative groups in support of the opposition candidates were registered. 85 initiative groups were denied registration, which is percentagewise almost 4 times the number of denials during the parliamentary elections in 2008. - There are registered facts of the authorities creating obstacles for members of the opposition candidates’ initiative groups and using administrative resources for the benefit of those who support the government. - At the signature collection stage members of initiative groups have filed a total of 15 complaints, while during the presidential election of 2010 more than 50 complaints were filed. The complaints are mainly about no access to dormitories of state enterprises and institutions for members of initiative groups.
15.08.2012 Human Rights Defenders join the campaign of the Belarusian Association of Journalists for the release of Siarhei Basharymau and Anton Surapin
The Human Rights Center “Viasna” joined the initiative of the Belarusian Association of Journalists aimed at the change of the restraint to journalist Anton Surapin who has been kept in the pre-trial prison of the KGB since 13 July. The human rights defenders also solicit for the change of the restraint to real estate agent Siarhei Basharymau, who, together with Surapin, received charges of assistance to unlawful crossing of the state boundary of the Republic of Belarus (Part 6 of Article 16 and Part 3 of Article 371 of the Criminal Code) and their release on bail.
14.08.2012 Report on Monitoring the Formation of Precinct Election Commissions
August 13th, 2012
During the period from the 6th to the 8th of August local administrations, rayon and city executive committees formed 6, 301 precinct election commissions (PEC) which altogether have 68, 945 members. Commission members were selected from the pool of the individuals nominated until August 5 by organizational structures of political parties and non-commercial organizations, working collectives, and by groups of citizens (through signature collection). This stage of the electoral process is important because precinct election commissions are in charge of organizing the voting process at polling stations, including handing out ballot papers to voters and vote count.
06.08.2012 International Solidarity Day with Civil Society and Human Rights Movement of Belarus (photo report)
Actions in support of Ales Bialiatski and all political prisoners in Belarus were held on 4 August in different countries of the world: France, Germany, Poland, Ukraine, Russia, Lithuania, Georgia, Armenia, Switzerland, Norway… We propose to your attention a photo report from these actions.
06.08.2012 Weekly Analytical Report on Election Monitoring Results: July 30 – August 5
General Conclusions - The period of candidates’ nomination continues from July 15th to August 13th. Initiative groups collect signatures during door-to-door and street picket activities. - Some candidates and members of initiative groups experience pressure from the authorities. We have registered cases of state officials hindering the work of pro-democratic initiative groups, as well as usage of administrative resource to the benefit of pr-governmental candidates.
31.07.2012 Support Ales Bialiatski on 4 August!
The Human Rights Center “Viasna” is calling on its colleagues, representatives of international and Belarusian human rights organizations to arrange actions of solidarity with Ales Bialiatski, head of the Human Rights Center “Viasna” and vice-president of the International Federation for Human Rights (FIDH), who was arrested on August 4, 2011 and later sentenced to four and a half years of imprisonment for his human rights activities.
30.07.2012 Report on Monitoring Election Results: July 23rd -29th
July 25th was the final day of registration of the initiative groups for signature collection in support of the candidates’ nomination. 85 initiative groups (in support of 15 potential candidates) were rejected registration. The number of registration denials this time is almost 4 times higher than during the previous parliamentary election. The overwhelming majority of the initiative groups in support of the oppositional candidates were registered.
27.07.2012 Joint Statement of 15 international MPs on the situation in Belarus
27.07.2012 Polish MEP Marek Migalski, as a participant in Libereco-Partnership for Human Rights’ Prisoner’s Godparenthood Campaign, issued a statement on the situation in Belarus, which was supported by 14 other international members of parliament. Today, they expressed their support for the democratic aspirations of the people of Belarus and called upon Belarusian authorities to cease the persecution of dissidents, human rights defenders and journalists in Belarus and to release and exonerate all political prisoners immediately and unconditionally.
26.07.2012 Human rights activists urge Supreme Court and Prosecutor General's Office to discuss situation with illegal preventive detentions of civil society activists
Representatives of a number of leading human rights organizations of Belarus – Belarusian Helsinki Committee, Human Rights Center "Viasna", Committee for the Protection of the Repressed "Solidarity", the Centre for Legal Transformation and the Center for Human Rights – have sent a joint appeal to the Prosecutor General of the Republic of Belarus Aliaksandr Kaniuk and Chairman of the Supreme Court of Belarus Valiantsin Sukala requesting a meeting to discuss the situation with illegal preventive detentions of civil society activists and representatives of youth opposition groups, in order to put an end to this illegal practice and bring the perpetrators to justice.
24.07.2012 “Viasna” demands to release Anton Surapin and Siarhei Basharymau
The Human Rights Center “Viasna” views the arrest and detention of Anton Surapin and Siarhei Basharymau as an escalation of fear in society and an attempt to shift responsibility for the improper protection of state borders and airspace to ordinary citizens.
23.07.2012 Weekly Analytical Report on Monitoring Results 4: July 9th – July 22nd
General Conclusions: - Creation of initiative groups for collection of signatures in support of candidates’ nomination does not show any significant difference in intensity from its regular level for parliamentary elections in Belarus: the total of 439 initiative groups applied for registration.
17.07.2012 Human Rights Center “Viasna” demands to immediately and unconditionally release Zmitser Dashkevich
According to the information received by the Human Rights Center “Viasna”, the administration of penal colony No. 13 in the town of Hlybokaye, where Zmitser Dashkevich is currently serving his sentence, has submitted to the Investigative Committee of the Republic of Belarus the case file to initiate an investigation and possible criminal prosecution under Par. 1 Art. 411 of the Criminal Code (malicious disobedience of the administration of a penal colony).
14.07.2012 Monitoring Report on the Formation of the District Election Commissions
In the overwhelming majority of cases, decision-making about membership of district election commissions was made by voting for complete lists, without open discussion of the nominated candidates.
