The Human Rights Center “Viasna”

News for 27 Jul 2007

27.07.2007 27 July: Chronicle of Celebration of State Sovereignty Day in Minsk

4 p.m. – the police detain the chair of United Civil Party Anatol Liabedzka. 4.10 – mass seizures start. The police detain the deputy chair of the BPF Party Viktar Ivashkevich and some other activists.

27.07.2007 Zmitser Khvedaruk Sentenced to 10 Days of Jail

An activist of the unregistered organization Young Front Zmitser Khvedaruk spent a day at Minsk Maskouski borough court. In the morning he was detained by people in mufti on the way to a trolleybus stop from the Justice House where he attended the trial of Kanstantsin Lukashou. The police accused him in using four-letter words and detained till evening.

27.07.2007 Belarusian Helsinki Committee: Sentence to Coordinator of Russian Nazis in Homel Is Unfair

The national public association Belarusian Helsinki Committee is disappointed with the fact that the activity of the coordinator of Russian National Unity (RNE) in Homel Mikhail Yakauchuk was qualified under article 193.1 of the Criminal Code (activity on behalf of unregistered organization). Earlier such article was used against political opposition. Yakauchuk was sentenced to 6 months of jail.

27.07.2007 White-Red-White Flag over Holy Mountain

Activists of the public campaign Jeans for Freedom celebrated the State Sovereignty Day with a symbolic action. In the morning of 27 July 10 people came from Minsk to the Holy Mountain (during the times of the Soviet rule it was renamed after Derzhinsky and now is officially called Dziarzhynskaya). It is the highest hill in Belarus, 345 meters high. The activists put there a 6-meter flagpole with a red-white-red flag.

27.07.2007 Leanid Marakou Issues Book about Stalin’s Repressions

A unique book dedicated to the 1930 year’s repressions appeared in Belarus. Researcher Leanid Marakou had been working on his book Victims and Hangmen for 11 years.

27.07.2007 Today Is Anniversary of Declaration of Belarus’ State Sovereignty

17 years ago the Supreme Soviet of the BSSR by the majority vote adopted the Declaration On State Sovereignty of Belarus .Thus, the page of the country’s history was turned over. The pro-communist deputies’ corps by its resolution laid a foundation for creation of the free democratic and prosperous country without even realizing that. Belarus took the European way of development that was absolutely natural for the country.

27.07.2007 Detentions in Mahiliou

On 27 July in Mahiliou near a place where unknown persons had hanged a white-red-white flag the police detained an independent journalist Hanna Iliina and the chair of Mahiliou city organization of United Civil Party Siarhei Straltsou. Iliina and Straltsou were accused of making photos of policemen without permission.