18.02.2009 PACE delegation meets with independent mass media

‘We would like to see it with our own eyes – whether this is a ‘face-lift’ or a genuine will to move towards progress,’ said Andrea Rigoni, Special rapporteur on Belarus in the Council of Europe’s PACE, during his meeting with independent journalists on 17 February. According to Zhanna Litvina, Chair of the Belarusian Association of Journalists, the meeting was meant for a number of independent Belarusian mass media. The European Parliament members were especially curious if a dialogue could help change the situation in Belarus.

18.02.2009 UCP to strive for mixed voting method

During a press-conference on 18 February, Anatol Liabedzka, Chair of the United Civic Party of Belarus, declared that the party would initiate a public campaign to introduce changes to the Constitution in order to transfer the Belarusian electoral code to the mixed voting method. According to Mr.Liabedzka, the propositions were sent to the President’s administration and the OSCE ODIHR. Mr.Liabedzka says the existing majority rule fails to prove its value. The UCPB suggests introducing the so called proportional representation system, by making amendments to the Constitution and the Electoral Code of Belarus. ‘It might be an additional stimulus for the development of the multi-party system in Belarus,’ said the UCPB leader.

18.02.2009 FIDH OPEN LETTER TO THE DEPUTY HEAD SECRETARY TO THE PRESIDENT OF BELARUS

The International Federation for Human Rights (FIDH) and its member organisation Human Rights Center «Viasna» express their concerns with the use of force by the Belarus security forces against peaceful demonstrators on 14 and 16 February 2009, in Minsk, Belarus.

18.02.2009 Letter of support from DIHR

The occassion of this letter is the good news that reached us from Minsk that the "Nasha Viasna" human rights organization has submitted their application for registration with the Ministry of Justice of the Republic of Belarus on 26 January 2009. On behalf of the Danish Institute for Human Rigths I would like to state our strong support to this move and express the hope that the relevant Belarus authorities will look favourable into the application and grant this important human rigths organization registration. Such step will allow Nasha Viasna to pursue its commendable work for the protection and promotion of human rights and rule of law in Belarus on legal grounds.

17.02.2009 Ex-leader of Belarus speaks in support of Nasha Viasna

Mechyslau Hryb, ex-Chair of the Supreme Soviet of the 12th Convocation (1994-1996), has expressed his support to the Nasha Viasna human rights association. ‘As for the registration of Nasha Viasna, I think it is high time the organization was registered. I also think that the more human rights NGOs Belarus has, the easier it would be for Belarusian citizens to protect their rights,’ said Mr.Hryb.

17.02.2009 Sviatlana Aleksievich: ‘I think our world will always be a world of murderers’

The famous Belarusian writer Svitalana Aleksievich has joined the campaign ‘Human Rights Activists against Capital Punishment’, by signing the petition to the Belarusian authorities. ‘For over 30 years I have been writing my ‘red chronicle’ – my series of books. I have written about war. I was in Afghanistan and saw people being killed… I have always thought about how people can live together knowing they can kill each other at any time, that is do God’s work. Since no one has the right to do this.

17.02.2009 Court turns down claim by independent journalist

Minsk Maskouski Borough Court rejected the claim by the independent journalist Maryna Koktysh working with the Narodnaya volia newspaper, following the decision by the House of Representatives to deny accreditation to the reporter. Having considered the claim, Judge Alena Rudnitskaya resolved to turn down the civil action due to ‘the applicant’s inability to appeal the decision.’ According to the Belarusian Association of Journalists’ press-service, the newspaper is going to appeal the decision at Minsk City Court.

17.02.2009 Court turns down claim by independent journalist

Minsk Maskouski Borough Court rejected the claim by the independent journalist Maryna Koktysh working with the Narodnaya volia newspaper, following the decision by the House of Representatives to deny accreditation to the reporter. Having considered the claim, Judge Alena Rudnitskaya resolved to turn down the civil action due to ‘the applicant’s inability to appeal the decision.’ According to the Belarusian Association of Journalists’ press-service, the newspaper is going to appeal the decision at Minsk City Court.

17.02.2009 Young Front activists lodge complaint against police violence

A number of Young Front members have lodged a claim with the Ministry of Internal Affairs and the General Prosecutor’s office against the excessive use of violence by the riot police during the 14 February action. The claim features several testimonies by participants of the action.

17.02.2009 Valery Bulhakau: ‘KGB substitutes ideology control bodies’

The editorial board of the Arche magazine has been called in evidence concerning the confiscated issues of the magazine, named ‘extremist’ by the KGB Brest regional department. During an interview with www.euramost.org, Arche’s editor-in-chief Valery Bulhakau said: ‘Unless the decision of the court takes effect, we cannot state that Arche is an extremist magazine. As yet, this is nothing but an opinion by the KGB. We will see if the charges will be supported by the court. I hope that common sense will help the judges understand that the action is nonsense.’

17.02.2009 Local BPF office leader detained in Vitsebsk

On 16 February Vitsebsk police detained Kanstantsin Smolikau, head of BPF’s Vitsebsk Regional office, for distributing leaflets covering the events of 8 February when three Belarusian independent trade union members were arrested in the town of Vaukavysk. A few hours later the BPF leader was released. According to Mr.Smolikau, he is going to appeal the actions of the police.

16.02.2009 HR Center Viasna issues statement on brutal dispersal of 14 February peaceful action

On 14 February 2008 the unregistered Young Front organization conducted a peaceful youth demonstration. In spite of the fact that the action was peaceful, the demonstrators were attacked by representatives of the Belarusian riot police, using violence and compliance weapons. As a result, dozens of citizens were beaten up. However, none of the participants of the action was detained, which indicates the deliberate character of the violent actions, aimed at intimidation and display of power by the Belarusian authorities. The violence used was demonstrative and deliberately excessive. It should be observed that the action was preceded by a series of searches at the private apartments of the Young Front members.

16.02.2009 KGB finds elements of extremism in Arche magazine articles

The KGB Brest Regional Department addressed Brest Regional Court with a letter concerning the 10 copies of the Arche magazine confiscated by the Belarusian customs officers in October 2008. According to the copy of the letter received by Arche’s editorial board, issues #7 and #8 of 2008 of the magazine ‘contain elements of extremist ideology’, namely certain information ‘injuring the reputation of the Belarusian state bodies, intensifying social and political tension, encouraging mass riots and therefore undermining the national security of Belarus’ political sphere.’ The KGB demands that the confiscated editions be declared extremist and liable to destruction.

16.02.2009 Political prisoner Artsyom Dubski transferred to pre-trial detention center

Youth activist Artyom Dubski, arrested participant of the Process of 14, will be transferred to a pre-trial detention center in Babruisk.

Activist of the “Young Front”, arrested on February 13, is still in detention facility in Asipovichy. A lawyer is to visit him today.

The Charter’97 press center learnt it from press secretary of the “Young Front” Tatsyana Shaputska.

16.02.2009 Ministry of Justice vs. Nasha Viasna: Everything fair

The Ministry of Justice is collecting data on the founders of the Nasha Viasna human rights association, growing more and more inventive in finding faults with the organization’s application. In particular, the state officials keep checking the addresses of Nasha Viasna’s members. On 6 February, during a telephone conversation, a representative of the Ministry tried to learn information on the actual place of residence of one of Nasha Viasna’s members Ilya Bohdan.