The Human Rights Center “Viasna”

News for February 2009

16.02.2009 St. Valentine’s searches

According to RFE/RL, on 13-14 February Minsk police carried out a number of searches at the private apartments of Belarusian youth activists. On 14 February several plainclothes policemen broke into the apartment of the Young Front youth activists Mikola Dzemidzenka, Valer Matskevich and Vadzim Khaniauka. The police confiscated office equipment and a number of stickers announcing the 14 February action. However, the activists were not detained. On the previous night the police searched the private apartment of the Young front activist Kasia Halitskaya. They confiscated banners and posters prepared for the 14 February action.

16.02.2009 BCD allowed facilities to hold congress

Minsk city executive committee has issued permit to the Belarusian Christian Democracy movement for holding a constituent congress at the conference hall of Minsk Tractor Plant. BCD had previously attempted to find premises for the assembly in a number of Minsk enterprises. However, all of their applications were turned down by the city’s authorities. The congress was authorized after the BCD members declared they were going to hold the assembly in Katrsychnitskaya square in downtown Minsk. The congress is likely to be attended by a number of representatives of the European Parliament and famous public figures of Belarus.

16.02.2009 26 searches in Vaukavysk

According to Hrodna journalist Andrei Paczobut, the number of searches carried out in the framework of the so called ‘Autukhovich’s case’ is much larger than the figures provided by mass media. The total amount of searches conducted by the police may have equaled to 26, says Paczobut.

13.02.2009 NGOs of Homel oblast have problems holding their assembly

Homel oblast executive committee did not sanction the assembly of NGOs and civil initiatives of Homel oblast.

13.02.2009 Homel: political prisoner Artsiom Dubski detained

Now the activist faces punishment under Article 415 of the Criminal Code (‘evasion from serving the penalty’). The matter is that last winter Artsiom has been sentenced to two years of personal restraint within the frames of the ‘case of 14’, for participation in a peaceful action of protest, staged by entrepreneurs.

13.02.2009 Anti-nuclear pickets are banned again

The authorities still don’t authorize actions of protest against the construction of a new nuclear power plant in Astravets district. The executive committees of Vileika and Maladzechna did not grant the petitions for authorization of anti-nuclear pickets in these towns.

13.02.2009 More political prisoners in Belarus?

Arrest of the leaders of entrepreneurs’ movement Mikalai Autukhovich, Yury Liavonau and Uladzimir Asipenka makes obvious the new wave of political repressions in Belarus. It has been stated by human rights activists, activists of the Belarusian opposition and former political prisoners at a press-conference held on 12 February in Minsk.

13.02.2009 Police forcefully evict people from the private houses standing on the way of subway line

On 12 February 12 the police and court marshals forcefully evicted Minsk dweller Vasil Khadzkou from his private house in Dziarzhynski Street, where a metro line is being constructed.

13.02.2009 Zmitser Dashkevich and Mikola Dzemidzenka get arrested for action of protest

On 12 February activists of the Young Front held a protest picket against arrests of leaders of entrepreneurs Uladzimir Asipenka, Mikalai Autukhovich and Yury Liavonau near the pre-trial prison in Valadarski Street in Minsk. They were standing near the jail chanting ‘Freedom to Political Prisoners’. The picket lasted for 20 minutes.

13.02.2009 ‘European Belarus’ activists picket KGB

On 12 February activists of the civil campaign European Belarus held a picket near the KGB office in Minsk demanding to release arrested Mikalai Autukhovich, Yury Liavonau and Uladzimir Asipenka.

12.02.2009 Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe calls the Belarusian authorities to start a legislative reform

As already indicated in previous replies to Parliamentary Assembly recommendations, the Committee of Ministers strongly encourages the Belarusian authorities to initiate structural and legislative reforms in line with the Council of Europe standards in the core areas which form the basis of the Organisation: democracy, human rights and the rule of law. In this regard, the Committee of Ministers recalls that a crucial step to be made by Belarus towards aligning itself to Council of Europe principles and values, allowing for closer co-operation with the Organisation, would be the immediate suspension and the subsequent abolition in law of the death penalty. In the same context, the Committee of Ministers shares the Assembly’s opinion that Belarus should bring its criminal justice system in line with Council of Europe norms and standards and in the meantime should cease from using this system for political purposes.

12.02.2009 Assembly of Democratic NGOs to applies for state registration again

On 7 February there took place the constituent assembly of the Assembly of Democratic NGOs, at which the organization charter and other documents necessary for state registration were adopted.

12.02.2009 ‘For Freedom’ movement starts anti-dactylographic campaign in Masty

In Masty the activists of the For Freedom movement have started a campaign against the unlawful dactilography of the population, after all men started receiving writs to Masty district police department for giving their fingerprints to the police.

12.02.2009 Provocation against Union of Poles in Belarus

On 11 February in Sapotskin, Hrodna region, leaflets have emerged with a call to Belarusian Poles to finance the congress of the Union of Poles in Belarus on 14-15 March. The appeal was signed by the chairperson of the Union of Poles in disgrace.

12.02.2009 Emmanuel Zeltser’s lawyer refutes chairman of Supreme Court of Belarus

Chairman of the Supreme Court of Belarus said that Emanuel Zeltser, arrested US citizen, was given a copy of the judgment. However, the lawyer of the prisoner refutes this statement.