The Human Rights Center “Viasna”

News for May 2008

08.05.2008 Reporters Without Borders stands for Hazeta Slonimskaya

Reporters Without Borders condemns an eviction order and other efforts by local authorities to harass the weekly Hazeta Slonimskaya, the only independent newspaper in the western region of Hrodna. Its editor, Uladzimir Valadashchuk, appealed to readers for support on 30 April.

08.05.2008 Coordinator of Charter’97 Zmitser Bandarenka proposes to boycott the elections

‘The regime has given up on dialogue and democratization by unleashing a real terror against political opposition and the civil society. That is why the democratic forces are to start realization of a different strategy,’ believes the coordinator of the Charter’97 Zmitser Bandarenka.

08.05.2008 Harassment of Hazeta Slonimskaya going on

The head of the psychoneurologic department of Slonim central district hospital received a letter signed by the head of the local branch of the KGB Aliaksandr Mazalkou with an order to check the editor-in-chief of an independent newspaper Hazeta Slonimskaya Viktar Valadashchuk and his relatives, whether they are listed in databases of psychoneurologic and narcological dispensaries.

08.05.2008 European Belarus’ action in support of political prisoners

3 May activists of the civil campaign European Belarus hung out national flags and banners in the Zakhad suburb of Minsk, calling to release political prisoners Aliaksandr Kazulin, Andrei Kim and Siarhei Parsiukevich.

07.05.2008 Minsk authorities ban picket in memory of Yury Zakharanka

Sviatlana Zavadskaya, widow of kidnapped ORT TV channel operator Zmitser Zavadski, received a refusal from the deputy head of Minsk city executive committee to her application on holding a picket in Minsk on 7 May, dedicated to the 9th anniversary of disappearance of General Yury Zakharanka.

05.05.2008 Artist Ales Pushkin gets fined for congratulations on 90th anniversary of Belarusian People’s Republic

3 May the judge of Krupki district court Andrei Siz fined the well-known Belarusian artist Ales Pushkin 875 000 rubles (about 411 US dollars) for congratulating the local citizens on the 90th anniversary of the Belarusian People’s Republic. Pushkin was found guilty of insubordinations to the lawful demands of the police (Article 23.4 of the Administrative Code) and violation of the order of organizing or holding mass actions (Article 23.34).

05.05.2008 Raman Kisliak appeals to the Supreme Court against unlawful detention

27 September 2007 Maskouski district court of Brest found the human rights activist Raman Kisliak guilty under Article 23.34, part 1 of the Administrative Code (participation in unauthorized action) and fined him 62 000 rubles (29 US dollars).

05.05.2008 Police prohibit handing out non-state press

3 May is celebrated as the Universal Day of Press. At 12 a.m. representatives of the United Democratic Forces (including members of the Belarusian Popular Front party, the United Civil Party, the Party of Communists Belarusian, etc.) gathered near the Main Post Office in Minsk to mark this day by handing out to passers-by the officially registered non-state newspapers: Narodnaya Volia, Nasha Niva and Tovarishch. Bear in mind, that the state retail and subscription monopolist on press Belsayuzdruk, neither sells these newspapers, nor provides subscription to them, all because of their ‘oppositional’ content.

05.05.2008 Political prisoner Parsiukevich transferred to pre-trial prison in Zhodzina

According to the lawyer Vera Stramkouskaya, 2 May the entrepreneur Siarhei Parsiukevich was transferred to the investigative isolator in Zhodzina (Smaliavichy district).

05.05.2008 Maryia Tulzhankova taken to court right from state exam

25 March 2008 the 80th anniversary of Belarusian People’s Republic (so much disliked by the Belarusian authorities) was celebrated. Among other actions a historical excursion has been organized. Even this peaceful action was violently stopped by all-knowing police. Its participants were detained. Five of them served 7-15 days in jail.

05.05.2008 Vitsebsk: politically motivated warnings to minors

The commission on the cases of minors of Pershamaiski district executive committee of Vitsebsk has issued warnings to the 17-year-old pupils of school #38, Krystsina and Viktoryia Chyzh, after the sisters were detained on 16 April, at an action of solidarity with political prisoners.

05.05.2008 Police to bring no case on defilement of BPF office door

The office of the Belarusian Popular Front party (BPF) received an answer from the police to the complaint ‘on the facts on window damage and drawing inscriptions on office’s door’.

05.05.2008 Baranavichy: Young Front activists get fined

Yaraslau Hryshchenia, leader of the Baranavichy Young Front branch, activist Artsiom Lastavetski and Ales Pershak, detained ahead of 1 May, had administrative trials in Baranavichy on 2 May.

02.05.2008 Hrodna: pupils prohibited to participate in historical scientific conference

Siarhei Batura and Aliaksandr Liutomski, pupils of Hrodna school #28, and their teacher Aliaksandr Rabkou were prohibited to take part in the historical scientific conference.

02.05.2008 Andrei Kim transferred to prison hospital because of eye inflammation

Recently the political prisoner Andrei Kim has had the first meeting with his mother, Tatsiana Kim. Andrei has been transferred from jail to prison hospital, because of rapid deterioration of the eyesight.