The Human Rights Center “Viasna”

News for February 2008

18.02.2008 A.Klimau: ‘First of All I Need to Feel That I am Free’

On 16 February, at 6 a.m. the former political prisoner Andrei Klimau returned to Minsk by train Kalinkavichy-Minsk. He was met by his mother, wife, friends, oppositions and journalists.

15.02.2008 Franak Fiachorka: ‘I am a student who does not correspond to the new conception of the journalistic faculty’

Franak says: ‘Today at 10 a.m. Siarhei Dubrovik, the dean of the journalistic faculty of the Belarusian State University, sarcastically informed me that I was expelled for ‘poor academic progress’ by the rector’s order which was signed by the provost.

15.02.2008 Court Upholds Zhaleznichenka’s Draft to Army

On 14 February Savetski district court of Homel left in force the decision of the district military enlistment office for drafting a local democratic activist Zmitser Zhaleznichenka to army.

15.02.2008 St. Valentine Day’s Greetings from Miron

On St.Valentine’s Day the legendary activist whose nick is Miron hanged out a white-red-white flag on the roof of a three-storey house. The following note was attached to it: ‘I congratulate you on St. Valentine’s Day. Belarus is my main love! Miron.’

15.02.2008 Teachers Forced to Join Pro-governmental Party

On 8 February Uladzimir Savitski, head master of the secondary school of the village Vezha (Slutsk district) said that there was an official order obliging teachers of his school to join the Belaya Rus party.

14.02.2008 50 000 Sign for Freedom of Conscience

According to the information of Siarhei Lukanin, press-secretary of the campaign For Freedom of Conscience since 22 April till 13 February 50 210 citizens of Belarus signed under the appeal to the president, The Chamber of Representatives of the National Assembly and the Constitutional Court for amendment of the present laws on religion. The signatures were collected by religious activists.

14.02.2008 Zhaleznichenka’s Mother Sues against State Newspaper

Ala Zhaleznichenka, mother of a the youth activist Zmitser Zhaleznichenka who is being illegally detained at a military unit, has sued against the state newspaper Homelskaya Prauda for protection of the honor, dignity and business reputation of her son.

14.02.2008 Suit of Belarusian Helsinki to Soviet of Ministers Turned down again

The college board of the Supreme Economic Court confirmed its earlier ruling by which the Belarusian Helsinki Committee against the Soviet of Ministers had been turned down.

14.02.2008 Homel: Piatro Kuzniatsou Sentenced to Five Days of Arrest

On 14 February the judge of Tsentralny district court of Minsk Maryia Damnenka punished the opposition activist Piatro Kuzniatsou with five days of arrest for handing out the leaflets inviting people to an electoral meeting with a deputy M.Shauko and Aliaksandr Milinkevich.

14.02.2008 Salihorsk: Aliaksandr Tsatsura’s Driver’s License Annulled

On 12 February the leader of Salihorsk entrepreneurs Aliaksandr Tsatsura was released from jail after 15-day arrest for collection of signatures for abolishment of president’s decree #760.

14.02.2008 Authorities Tighten Pressure on Aliaksandr Kazulin

Aliaksandr Kazulin had a short meeting with his daughters in the colony Vitsba-3.

14.02.2008 Salihorsk: Detained for Performance

The police detained five youth activists who congratulated passers-by on St. Valentine’s Day – Ryhor Astapnia, Krystsina Samoilava, Ivan Shyla, Hleb Snorkin and Andrei Tychyna. The youngsters hanged a banner ‘We Love Belarus’ on a stage near Salihorsk town executive committee. One of them was dressed to look like a large heart and the others were dressed as angels.

14.02.2008 Tsentralny District Court Leaves Andrei Kim in Jail

Tsentralny district court of Minsk confirmed the restrain to Andrei Kim, a member of the underground organization Initiative. Thus, the activist is still kept in the pre-trial prison in Minsk, to which he was placed on 21 January after the end of the 10-day arrest for participation in a meeting of entrepreneurs.

14.02.2008 Zhodzina: Aliaksandr Kruty Still Illegally Kept in Pre-trial Prison

Aliaksandr Kruty has been released from punishment by court three weeks ago. However, he is still kept at the pre-trial prison in Zhodzina. He is kept alone in a cell for live-sentence convicts.

13.02.2008 Tatsiana Sadouskaya Rehabilitated at Work

Chashniki district court rehabilitated at work an activist of the For Freedom movement Tatsiana Sadouskaya. She educated the population in the field of housing economy at the seminars of For Freedom movement, which could irritate her boss.