The Human Rights Center “Viasna”

News for February 2008

13.02.2008 Rechytsa Authorities Refuse to Register Trade Union again

Rechytsa authorities again refused to register a primary unit of the Belarusian trade union of radio-electronic industry. The formal reason is that the landlord decided to revoke his letter of guarantee for giving a legal address to the organization.

13.02.2008 State Demands That Parents Pay $11 000 For Son’s Illness

Since birth Artsion Nebakatkin had an irreversible biliary liver cirrhosis. He needed an urgent transplantation of liver. Such operations are not made in Belarus, and in Russia they cost about 120 000 US dollars. Komsomolskaya Pravda v Belarusi called people to help the child and transfer money to a special bank account. As a result 162 million rubles was collected.

13.02.2008 Homel: 2 Activists Fined for Leaflets, Uladzimir Katsora Imprisoned for 7 Days

The police detained Andrei Aliashkevich and Uladzimir Shumilin in the center of Homel, while the activists were handing out leaflets to inform the citizens about a public meeting with the leader of the For Freedom! movement Aliaksandr Milinkevich, which was not authorized by the local authorities. Aliashkevich and Shumilin were guarded to the police station, where about 1 000 leaflets were confiscated from them and administrative reports under article 23.34 of the Administrative Code (violation of the order of organizing and holding mass actions) were drawn on them.

13.02.2008 Regions: Persecution of Entrepreneurs Continues

The authorities continue persecuting the entrepreneurs who have participated in the actions of protest against president’s decree #760.

12.02.2008 Horki Authorities Prohibit Issue of New Newspapers

Horki district executive committee did not let a member of the Belarusian People’s Front Party Eduard Brokarau to issue newspapers. Brokarau wanted to receive a license for advertisement, trade and issue of newspapers.

12.02.2008 Baranavichy: Entrepreneur Charnavus Summonsed to Police

On 11 February in Baranavichy the local entrepreneurs held a meeting against presidential decree #760. During the action the deputy chief of the city police told M.Charnavus that he was summonsed to the police.

12.02.2008 More Youth Activists Detained

In the evening of 11 February in Minsk the police detained three persons for distribution of informational materials about the European Union. According to preliminary information, Dzianis Hancharou, Palina Kuryianovich and Siarhei Rozum were detained in Haradzki Val Street and taken to Tsentralny district police department of Minsk.

12.02.2008 Young Front Supports Candidacy of Zmitser Zhaleznichenka for Student Peace Prize

The underground youth organization Young Front has supported the initiative of the Belarusian human rights activist, the Human Rights Center Viasna and the BPF Youth (youth wing of the Belarusian People’s Front Party) for nomination of an activist of the BPF Youth Zmitser Zhaleznichenka for Student Peace Prize.

12.02.2008 Artur Finkevich Invites People to St. Valentine’s Day Action

Young Front invites Belarusian youth to take part in the rally on February 14, which is to start at 5 p.m. on Svaboda (Freedom) Square in Minsk.

11.02.2008 Human Rights Center 'Viasna' Nominates Zmitser Zhaleznichenka for Student Peace Prize

Human Rights Center Viasna initiated the nomination of the Belarusian student Zmitser Zhaleznichenka for Student Peace Prize.

11.02.2008 Hrodna: Ministry of Emergency Situations Prohibits UCP Office to Accept More than 15 Persons at Once

The chairman of Hrodna oblast office of the United Civil Party stated that the Ministry of Emergency Situations handed to him a ruling ‘on suspension of the organization’s activities’. By this ruling the UCP members are ordered to stop holding mass events in the UCP office in Budzionny Stret 48a-100 in Hrodna.

11.02.2008 BRSM Ordered Who to Send Valentines to

The Belarusian Republican Youth Union (pro-Lukashenka youth ‘state NGO’) holds an action dedicated to St. Valentine’s Day. Recently the regional structures of the organization have received the lists of the persons who they must send Valentine cards to.

11.02.2008 Vitsebsk Authorities Strictly Ban Meeting with Milinkevich

Vitsebsk authorities have prohibited a meeting of with the leader of the For Freedom! movement Aliaksandr Milinkevich. The local activists Alena Famina, Aliaksei Haurutsikau and Khrystafor Zhaliapau have received a refusal from the chairman of Vitsebsk city executive committee Pavel Losich.

11.02.2008 Protestant Priests Make Ultimatum to Lukashenka

The pastors of more than 40 Belarusian churches of the Association of Communities of Full Gospel Christians have applied to Aliaksandr Lukashenka.

11.02.2008 Baranavichy: Police Try to Disrupt Action of Entrepreneurs

On 10 February in Baranavichy the local entrepreneurs held an action of protest against president’s decree #760. More than 200 entrepreneurs, activists of public movements and political parties gathered in the city park despite the refusal of the authorities to authorize the action.