The Human Rights Center “Viasna”

News for July 2008

07.07.2008 Babruisk: dismissal for participation in elections

The resident of Babruisk Taisiya Kabanchuk is fired from her job. She thinks it is connected to her intention to run on Asipovichy electoral district at the elections to the Chamber of Representatives of the National Assembly.

07.07.2008 Alesia Yasiuk is tortured by police

Alesia said to RFE/RL that she was in staying in the state of shock and called the police actions torture and mockery.

07.07.2008 Artsiom Lastavetski is expelled from university

Recently the Young Front activist Artsiom Lastavetski has been informed about his expulsion from the second year of the Belarusian State University of Informatics and Radio Electronics.

04.07.2008 Midnight blast in Minsk brings more than 50 victims

At least 50 people have been injured in Belarus after a bomb exploded during a concert in the capital, Minsk. The event was taking place in the centre of the city to mark the official Independence Day (former day of the country’s liberation from Nazi troops). President Alexander Lukashenka, whose rule has been denounced as autocratic by the US and the European Union, was attending the concert.

04.07.2008 Another complaint to the UN Human Rights Committee

On 1 July the members of the liquidated cultural and educational NGO Stary Horad which used to operate on the territory of Brest filed a complaint to the UN Human Rights Committee against the liquidation. Stary Horad was registered in 1992 for support of the public and cultural initiatives of Brest residents, aimed at development and wellbeing of their city. On 12 April 2007 Brest oblast court ruled to liquidate the organization on suit of Brest oblast executive committee.

04.07.2008 Trade union activists against Hrodna police

The administration of the Belarusian trade union or radio electronic industry demands that Leninski district procuracy of Hrodna take the necessary measures in connection with the illegal confiscation of copies of the Haradzenskaya Salidarnasts newspaper from the member of the trade union Uladzimir Tabola.

04.07.2008 ‘Hazeta Slonimskaya’ wins the trial

The court confessed that the article published by the newspaper concerning the doctor Natallia Kiman was based on real facts which were confirmed by the investigation.

04.07.2008 Youth activist gets to mental hospital for refusal to collaborate with KGB

Activist of the youth organization Civil Forum Artsiom Zabaryn was taken to the Minsk mental hospital for examination after he had refused to answer questions of the KGB offices.

04.07.2008 Pavel Yukhnevich is imprisoned for seven days

Pavel Yukhnevich, activist of the European Belarus civil campaign, is serving his 7-day arrest in the jail on Akrestin Street in Minsk since yesterday.

04.07.2008 Review-Chronicle of Human Rights Violations in Belarus in June 2008

The main events in Belarus in June were the official appointment of the parliamentary elections, the start of the electoral campaign and the adoption of the new law On mass media that considerably aggravated the situation of mass media in the country and was evidently repressive. 24 June the president of Belarus Alexander Lukashenka signed order #344 On appointment of the elections to the Chamber of Representatives of the National Assembly of the Republic of Belarus of the fourth convocation. By this document the elections were appointed on 28 September 2008. Short before this the Belarusian Helsinki Committee and other Human Rights defenders stated their intention to monitor the elections.

02.07.2008 Hrodna: 1st National TV Channel vs. Uniate Christians

Believers of Hrodna Greek-Catholic parish of Our Lady of Fatima have addressed the administration of the 1st National Channel of the State TV and Radion Company of Belarus with an open letter. The reason is the broadcast of the film about Brest Union in the ‘Chronicle of Times’ cycle.

02.07.2008 OSCE to send more than 300 observers to Belarus

The mission of the Bureau of Democratic Institutes and Human Rights of the OSCE has published a report with recommendations for monitoring of the election to the Chamber of Representatives of the National Assembly of Belarus. BDIHR OSCE recommends establishing a standard mission for monitoring of the election which will take place on 28 September. The experts point at the obstacles to effective monitoring of the poll during the earlier elections. The Bureau hopes that the Belarusian authorities will guarantee the access of monitors to monitoring of the poll.

02.07.2008 More ‘Young Front’ members get arrested

The activist of the Young Front from Baranavichy Zmitser Stankevich was detained in the center of the city, near Lenin Square, while he was handing out leaflets with information about the political prisoner Andrei Kim. A violation report was drawn up on Stankevich. He was accused of petty hooliganism. On 1 June the activist was tried by court and sentenced to 10 days of arrest.

02.07.2008 No registration for independent trade union in Rechytsa district

Rechytsa district executive committee refused to register Rechytsa district organization of the independent Belarusian trade union of workers of radio-electronic industry.

02.07.2008 Parliamentary election. Events and generalizations

On 24 June Alexander Lukashenka signed decree #344 On appointment of the election to the Chamber of Representatives of the National Assembly of the Republic of Belarus of the fourth convocation. According to this document, the election will take place on 28 September.