The Human Rights Center “Viasna”

News for September 2008

11.09.2008 Head of observation mission of OSCE/ODIHR has friendly meeting with minister Navumau

On 10 September the Interior Minister of Belarus Uladzimir Navumau met with the head of the OSCE/ODIHR Election Observation Mission, Geert-Hinrich Ahrens.

10.09.2008 ‘Young Front’ activist Rastsislau Pankratau expelled from Mahiliou State University

As we have already informed, the administration of Mahiliou State University planned to expel the student after giving him an unsatisfactory mark at his English exam. The information proved to be true: Rastsislau Pankratau was expelled.

10.09.2008 Candidate Liaukovich is asked not to defame and not to slander

The editorial board of the regional state newspaper Vecherniy Brest addressed the candidate for deputy at Brest Eastern electoral constituency #1 Anatol Liaukovich with the request to change a part of his electoral program or ‘put it in line with Article 47 of the Electoral Code’.

10.09.2008 Brest: candidate complains about damage of agitation materials

The head of Brest oblast organization of the Belarusian Social Democratic Party (Hramada) Ihar Maslouski, a candidate for deputy at Brest Eastern electoral constituency #3, applied to Maskouski district police department of Brest in connection with damage of his agitation posters by unknown persons. He also submitted copies of his complaint to the constituency electoral commission and to the OSCE observers.

10.09.2008 Pro-governmental candidate lies to electors

There were hot debates at the latest sitting of the electoral commission of Vitsebsk-Chyhunachnaya constituency #19, concerning the electoral poster with the biographical data of candidates which, according to part 10 of Article 45 of the Electoral Code, is to be produced by the constituency electoral commission.

10.09.2008 Human rights activists Uladzimir Labkovich refuses from ‘conversation’ with police

On 10 September in the morning the human rights activist Uladzimir Labkovich received a telephone call from Leninski district police department of Minsk. Mr. Labkovich was proposed to come to the police department for a ‘talk’.

10.09.2008 2008: one death sentence and three life sentences in Belarus

In 2008 in Belarus one person was sentenced to capital punishments and three – to lifelong imprisonment. This information was voiced at a press conference in Minsk on 9 September by the head of the Supreme Court Valiantsin Sukala. According to his information, at present 130 people are serving their life sentences in Belarus.

10.09.2008 Hrodna: electoral meeting at school #34 organized for pro-governmental MP candidate only

On 8 September Siarhei Kuzmianok, an independent candidate at Hrodna Zaniomanskaya electoral constituency #49, learned that an electoral meeting was organized for a pro-governmental candidate Alexander Antonenka at secondary school #34. When he came there, he found that the meeting was organized only for Antonenka, though there are four candidates at this electoral constituency. The present officials did not let Kuzmianok speak to about 400 electors who came to the meeting.

10.09.2008 Brest: attempt to kidnap an activist of the United Civil Party

In the evening on 8 September an attempt to kidnap Yury Panasyuk, an activist of the Young Democrats (youth organization of the United Civil Party), was committed in Brest.

10.09.2008 State newspaper still not punished for besmearing entrepreneur Mikalai Charnavus

Court proceedings in the case of the journalist for the state newspaper Nash Krai Mikalai Khudzenka and the newspaper itself have been postponed again in Baranavichy.

10.09.2008 Administration of Mahiliou state university ‘helps’ pro-governmental candidate

On 9 September a meeting with MP candidates at Mahiliou Tsentralnaya electoral constituency was held in Mahilou State University. But only one candidate, Alexander Yushkevich, who was a deputy in Krycahu before, attended the meeting.

10.09.2008 Oppositional candidate is prohibited to speak about corruption

The editor-in-chief of Rechytsa regional newspaper Dniaprovets offered a candidate for deputy Leanid Nevar to rework his election speech prepared for publication in a newspaper.

09.09.2008 ‘Equal conditions’ for candidates in Svetlahorsk

During the agitation campaign a state newspaper Svetlahorskiya Naviny published a number of articles about a pro-governmental candidate Valiantsina Kavaliova. Earlier similar materials were placed in other mass media. Earlier similar articles were published in other state media, but there were no publications about Siarhei Daineka, another candidate at this constituency.

09.09.2008 Supreme Court supports non-registration of Yury Karetnikau as candidate

Yury Karetnikau was not registered as a candidate for deputy by the electoral commission of South-Western constituency #99 in Minsk, which found invalid more than 15% of the signatures in his support that had been checked by it. Yury Karetnikau did not agree to it and appealed against non-registration to the Central electoral commission.

09.09.2008 Baranavichy: procuracy evades from giving legal evaluation

Recently a candidate for deputy Mikalai Charnavus has addressed the procurator of Baranavichy with the request to hold an expertise concerning the fact of alleged forging of the dates in the lists with signatures in support of his candidacy.