The Human Rights Center “Viasna”

News for September 2007

06.09.2007 Youth Activist Yaraslau Hryshchenia’s Father Threatened with Firing

Human Rights Center Viasna learned that Yaraslau Hryshchenia’s father Siarhei Hryshchenia had been summonsed to the ideology department of Baranavichy plant of constructions and construction details at which he headed a working brigade. The authorities proposed to him to quit the job, because he was a member of an independent trade union and it was incompatible with his position at the plant. Hryshchenia is not a member of any trade union and has a working contract till 2009, but in the case he refuses to leave the job on his own will, the administration threatens to fire him. It is an evident case of pressurization of a person, whose son actively struggles for democratic transformations in Belarus.

06.09.2007 Hrodna: Prosecutor’s Office Intimidates Journalists

Kastrychnitski district prosecutor’s office of Hrodna has issued official warnings to the local journalist Natallia Makushyna for cooperation with the foreign radio station Deutsche Welle. In the warnings it was stated that the journalists’ materials were tendentious and could be harmful to the international image of the Republic of Belarus.

06.09.2007 Brest: Court Punishes Two Participants of Meeting with Pavel Seviarynets

On 4 September Maskouski district court of Brest tried two participants of a meeting with Pavel Seviarynets at the local BPF office. Participants of the meeting at which Seviarynets presented his two books were detained and taken to the police station.

06.09.2007 Niasvizh: Criminal Trial against Nasta Azarka Ends with Fine. Detentions outside Court

On 4 September in Niasvizh a Young Front activist Anastasia Azarka was fined 1 240 000 Belarusian rubles (about 600 US dollars). The verdict was issued by judge Maryia Dunayeva. The youth activist was charged with activities on behalf of an unregistered organisation (article 193.1 of the Criminal Code). The prosecutor demanded to fine her 500 15 500 000 Belarusian rubles (about 7 200 US dollars).

06.09.2007 Salihorsk: Criminal Trial over Ivan Shyla Is Accompanied with Detentions and Imprisonments

On 4 September trials over the Young Front activists Ivan Shyla and Nasta Azarka took place in Salihorsk and Niasvizh. The activists were charged under article 193.1 of the Criminal Code (activities on behalf of unregistered organization). Dozens of people gathered near the courts to support the youth activists.

06.09.2007 Police Disrupt Meeting with Seviarynets on His Release from Jail

In the morning of 4 September Pavel Seviarynets, chairman of the organizing committee of Belarusian Christian Democracy Party, was released after 15 days of jail which he served in Brest

03.09.2007 Homel: Police Confirm Legality of Andrei Tsianiuta’s Detention

On 1 September the public activist from Homel Andrei Tsianiuta received an answer from Chyhunachny district police department of Homel. In his complaint to this body Tsianiuta pointed at his illegal detention by SOBR (special quick reaction unit) policemen.

03.09.2007 Day of Literature without Hilevich and Buraukin

Every year a day of the first week of September is celebrated as the Day of Belarusian Literature. Usually this day is celebrated by cities with rich historical heritage, centers of culture, education and book printing. Representatives of the older literary organization, the Union of Belarusian Writers, were not invited to the official measures.

03.09.2007 One Trial for Ivan Shyla Is Not Enough?

Ivan Shyla, an activist of Young Front from Salihorsk, has received a summons to an administrative commission for 5 September.

03.09.2007 Arrests for Defense of St. Joseph’s Church

In the evening of 2 September representatives of Young Front and Belarusian Christian Democracy were arrested during collection of signatures.

03.09.2007 Opposition Activists Establish Belarusian Christian Democracy

On 1 September a group of opposition activists held a founding conference for an association named Belarusian Christian Democracy (BCD) in Minsk on Saturday, BelaPAN reported.

03.09.2007 Liabedzka and Kaliakin Escape Car Crash

On 31 August the co-chairmen of the Political Council of the United Democratic Forces Siarhei Kaliakin and Anatol Liabedzka were on their way from Brest, where a meeting with democratic activists took place.

03.09.2007 Observatory for Protection of Human Rights Defenders Condemns Non-registration of ‘Viasna’

Paris-Geneva, August 31, 2007. The Observatory for the Protection of Human Rights Defenders, a joint programme of the International Federation for Human Rights (FIDH) and the World Organisation Against Torture (OMCT), expresses its deepest concern regarding the refusal of the Belarusian authorities to re-register the Human Rights Centre “Viasna”, on August 28, 2007, in violation of a communication of the United Nations Human Rights Committee issued at the end of July 2007.