The Human Rights Center “Viasna”

News for August 2008

06.08.2008 Troubles with collection of signatures in Polatsk region

In Navapolatsk electoral district #25 two members of the initiative group of the member of the Belarusian Social Democratic Party (Hramada) Ihar Valiayeu were forced to refuse from their membership in the group by pressure at work. Other members of the initiative group were photographed by the police while going out of the house where they were collecting signatures. Then the policemen quickly got into their cars and drove away without offering any explanations. At the same time, some members of the initiative group of I.Antonava told those who signed for her that they had no right to sign in support of more than one candidacy.

06.08.2008 Law ‘On mass media’ adopted

According to the information of the information agencies BelTA and Interfax with reference to the presidential press-service, Alexander Lukashenka has signed the law On mass media. Six months after its official publication the law will come into force. Neither of the agencies called the date when the document was signed.

06.08.2008 Members of Stanislau Bahdankevich’s initiative group beaten

In Minsk Yury Fabisheuski and Siarhei Kastylenka, members of the initiative group for nominating the former head of the National bank Stanislau Bahdankevich a candidate to the parliament were beaten by unidentified persons. The incident took place yesterday during collection of signatures in support of S. Bahdankevich.

06.08.2008 Vitsebsk: new action for boycott of elections

In the run-up to the so-called Parliamentary elections actions under Boycott! title are held all over Belarus.

06.08.2008 Taisiya Kabanchuk dismissed from work

The employment of the activist of the Belarusian Social Democratic party (Hramada) from Babruisk Taisiya Kabanchuk has been terminated.

05.08.2008 Financial police disturbs not only future candidates, but also members of their families

Recently the pretenders to candidates Yury Novikau, Uladzimir Novikau, Alexander Irkho, Ihar Kavalenka and Mikalai Rasiuk received writs to financial police.

05.08.2008 Supreme Court starts proceedings on suit against registration denial to For Freedom movement

The Supreme Court started the consideration of the suit of the republican NGO Movement For Freedom against the refusal of the Ministry of Justice to give the state registration to it. The Ministry of Justice insists that the majority of applicants participate in political mass actions and comment on political events. That’s why, if the organization is registered, most probably its aims will not correspond to the aims which stand in the charter.

05.08.2008 Baranavichy: runaround instead of answer concerning forcing to collection of signatures

The observer Viktar Syrytsa has received a runaround from the head of Baranavichy western district electoral commission #5 Alexander Rusenchyk. In his address to the official Syrytsa stated that on 25 July in the hall of the club of building trust #25 five teachers from each school of Baranavichy were gathered and the head of the personnel department of Baranavichy city executive committee Aleh Savos, who was not a member of an electoral commission, demanded that the teachers collected signatures for the pro-governmental candidate, Major-General Vankovich.

05.08.2008 ‘Young Front’ to sue Minsk administration

Minsk city executive committee did not permit the Young Front to hold its constituent assembly in Kalinouski Square and did not propose any other place for its holding. The formal reason for the refusal is that a tube station is less than 200 meters away from the square, which is a violation of the legal norms. However, Minsk authorities did not provide any alternative and thus violated the law.

05.08.2008 Fingerprints taken from Barys Vyrvich

On 4 August the police officers Kiryl Khlus and Alexander Rusetski came to the apartment of Barys Vyrvich, hear of the initiative group of the candidate to the Chamber of Representatives Ryhor Kastusiou, member of the BPF Party. The police officers asked Mr. Vyrvich where he had been on 3 July. Then they took his fingerprints and a saliva sample. Barys Vyrvich is convinced that the interrogation in the case of the blast in Minsk is connected with his public position and activities as the head of Kastusiou’s initiative group.

05.08.2008 152 election observers received official accreditation in Belarus

On 5 August, at the press-conference in Minsk the head of the Central Electoral Commission Lidziya Yarmoshyna stated that official accreditation had been already given to 152 observers.

05.08.2008 Oppositional candidate Aliaksei Yanukevich is summonsed to KGB in connection with 4 July blast

A KGB officer Yury Salauyou has called to the deputy head of the Belarusian Popular Front Party, candidate to the Chamber of Representatives Aliaksei Yanukevich to invite him to a ‘talk’ in connection with the blast which had taken place in Minsk on 4 July in the morning.

05.08.2008 Homel: KGB interrogates Ales Yauseyenka

As the BelaPAN informs, the investigator Uladzimir Vidolis has interrogated Ales Yauseyenka, the coordinator of the Belarusian Helsinki Committee in Homel oblast, in the case of Minsk blast. The activist was asked where he was on the day of the blast, whether he had a car and in which military unit he had served.

05.08.2008 Kobryn: MP confesses blackmailing Alexander Mekh

Kobryn court has carried out preliminary consideration of the case on complaint of the Belarusian popular Front Party activist Alexander Mekh. He complains of illegal dismissal from work.

05.08.2008 BPF party is forced to remove white-red-white flag from façade of its office

The housing and maintenance department of the Savetski district of Minsk demands that the Belarusian popular Front party remove a white-red-white flag from the building where the headquarters of the party is situated, and warned that otherwise the rental contract with the party could be dissolved. The office in Masherau Street, 8 where the headquarters of the Belarusian Popular Front is situated, is the place where opposition traditionally holds many its meetings.