The Human Rights Center “Viasna”

News for February 2008

05.02.2008 Babruisk Has No Premises for Meeting with Milinkevich

Babruisk activists of For Freedom movement have received answers from Babruisk executive committee to their request to lend a hall for meeting with the leader of the movement Aliaksandr Milinkevich. The event was appointed on 9 February.

05.02.2008 Foreign Travel Restrictions to Dashkevich, Shyla and Liabedzka

On Saturday, 2 February the Belarusian border guards did not let abroad the leader of the Young Front Zmitser Daskhevich and a Salihorsk member of this organization Ivan Shyla.

05.02.2008 Hrodna: Authorities Try to Disrupt Live Performance of Belarusian Bard Shalkevich

In Hrodna the campaign Independence-2008 was started with the live performance of a Minsk band Rekha and bard Shalkevich. The event was timed to 170th birthday of the national leader Kastus Kalinouski.

01.02.2008 Green Party Condemns Murder of Budgerigars

On 22 January 2008 on the Ukrainian border an unidentified person tried to smuggle a party of budgerigars on his bicycle. When he noticed the Belarusian border guards, he left his load and fled. In the six cages the border guards counted 277 birds, two of whom were already dead because of the bad conditions of transportation. The birds were passed to the veterinarian service, whose workers found no traits of bird influenza among the 275 remaining budgerigars.

01.02.2008 Mazyr KGB Hold ‘Prophylactic Talk’ with Aleh Liashchynski

On 1 February KGB agents held a prophylactic talk with Aleh Liashchynski, Mazyr coordinator of the organizing committee of the Belarusian Christian Democracy Party, architect of the project department of Mazyrski kamunalnik state enterprise.

01.02.2008 Aliaksandr Vasilyeu Fined

On 1 February the judge of Pinsk city court Tatsiana Svibovich fined the activist of the campaign For Free Development of Business Aliaksandr Vasiliyeu 700 000 rubles for ‘insubordination to the police’ in connection with the events of 21 January. That day Pinsk entrepreneurs staged a spontaneous meeting near Pinsk city executive committee.

01.02.2008 Monument to Social Benefits Demolished in Pruzhany

On 27 January in the town of Pruzhany youth activists of the United Civil Party put a monument to social benefits, which had been liquidated by the Belarusian authorities short before this. It was a concrete slab with the following inscriptions: ‘We love, remember and grieve’, ‘Benefits – 1975-2007”. Participants of the ceremony of the monument’s opening commemorated the lost benefits with a minute of silence and then laid flowers to the slab. The action was timed to 40 days after liquidation of the social guarantees.

01.02.2008 Cassation Complaint of Artur Finkevich to Be Considered 5 February

This day the court will consider two complaints, one of which was filed by Artur and the other – by his lawyer Hanna Bakhtsina. It is already known that the trial will be closed, by there is no precise information whether Artur Finkevich will be taken to it or everything will take place in his absence.

01.02.2008 Hrodna Oblast Court Turns down Activist’s Complaint

The resident of Masty Ales Zarembiuk received an answer from Hrodna oblast court. The activist appealed to the court against a huge fine, which was imposed on him for alleged organizing a street meeting of Masty citizens with the head of the For Freedom movement Aliaksandr Milinkevich. Zarembiuk was fined 525 000 rubles (about 244 US dollars).

01.02.2008 Prosecutor’s Office Threatens to Punish Protestant Bishop

Prosecutor’s office of Maskouski district of Minsk threatens Viachaslau Hancharenka, bishop of the Full Gospel Christian Community, New Life Church pastor, with criminal persecution for violation of instructions, passed on formal reasons.

01.02.2008 Andrei Kim Faces Six Years of Jail

An activist of the youth campaign Initiative Andre Kim is charged under article 364 ‘Violent actions against a policeman’.

01.02.2008 Authorities Compensate Release of Political Prisoners with Other Repressions

Student Tatsiana Tsishkevich, beaten at the entrepreneurs’ rally on 10 January and arrested for 20 days, was expelled from university. A criminal case against Andrei Kim was initiated on threats to a policeman.