The Human Rights Center “Viasna”

News for March 2009

13.03.2009 Authorities refuse to register primary units of independent trade unions

The leaders of the Independent Trade Union of Radio Electronic Industry stated that they would hold a series of protest actions on 3 April in different cities and towns of Belarus with the aim to draw public attention to non-registration of the primary units of trade unions by the authorities.

12.03.2009 Fantasies of the Ministry of Justice about ‘Nasha Viasna’

On 11 March the press-release On denial of the state registration to the Civil human rights association ‘Nasha Viasna’ appeared on the web-site of the Ministry of Justice of the Republic of Belarus. We, human rights defenders, cannot leave this information without notice.

12.03.2009 Statement of Helsinki Committees concerning non-registration of 'Nasha Viasna'

On 12 March the Belarusian Helsinki Committe, Moscow Helsinki Group, Netherlands Helsinki Committe, the Notwegion Helsinki Committee and the Swedish Helsinki Group adopted a joint statement to express their concern with non-registration of the human rights association Nasha Viasna.

12.03.2009 Belarusian Christian Democracy Party files documents for registration

On 12 March the co-chairmen of the organizing committee of the Belarusian Christian Democracy Party filed to the Ministry of Justice the packet of documents for registration of the party.

12.03.2009 Astravets: police ‘examine’ Ivan Kruk’s apartment

Today three police officers and several witnesses have come to the apartment of Ivan Kruk, an activist of the campaign against construction of a nuclear power station in Astravets district. They presented to Mr. Kruk a warrant for examination of the apartment in connection with the issue of the low-circulation bulletin Astravetski Vesnik.

12.03.2009 Pressurization of activists of Belarusian Christian Democracy Party in Haradzets

Activists of the Belarusian Christian Democracy party in the Mahilou region are pressurized by the local authorities, who are making them leave the party.

12.03.2009 Dashkevich, Dzemidzenka and Kuryianovich are summonsed to police

Zmitser Dashkevich, Mikola Dzemidzenka and Pavel Kuryianovich were called to the police department.

11.03.2009 Harry Pahaniaila: ‘Verdict to Yana Paliakova was issued unlawfully’

Only today, on 11 March Neanila Paliakova finally managed to receive a copy of the court verdict that had been issued to her daughter Yana Paliakova by Salihorsk district court on 3 March. Even a brief familiarization with the documents lets human rights defenders state about gross law violations during the trial of Yana Paliakova.

11.03.2009 Human rights defenders are concerned with P.Miklashevich’s statement about possible referendum on abolishment of death penalty

‘According to the Constitution, abolishment of death penalty in Belarus can be decided only by means of referendum,’ stated the head of the Constitutional Court of Belarus Piatro Miklashevich at the press-conference of 11 March. As said by him, ‘a special provision has been put in the Constitution concerning the abolishment of death penalty’, Interfax informs.

11.03.2009 Astravets: examination and videoing of apartments of ecological activists

At 8.30 a.m. police officers with witnesses came to the apartment of the leader of the civil initiative Astravets nuclear power station is a crime Mikalai Ulasevich.

11.03.2009 Pastor of ‘New Life’ Church disproves information of Belarusian TV

The pastor of Minsk Church New Life, bishop of the religious association of Full Gospel Christians in the Republic of Belarus Viachaslau Hancharenka disproved the information that was publicized on 9 March by the Panorama program of the 1st channel of the Belarusian TV.

11.03.2009 Judge Burautsou refuses to present a copy of the court verdict to Yana Paliakova’s mother

As said to the press-service of Charter'97 by the head of the Center on Human Rights Raisa Mikhailouskaya, Salihorsk district court refuses to issue a copy verdict to the mother of the perished human rights defender Yana Paliakova.

10.03.2009 Human Rights Defenders against Capital Punishment: first results of the campaign

The Human Rights Defenders against Capital Punishment in Belarus campaign started a month ago. For this period of time 11 famous people of Belarus signed the petition to the Belarusian authorities: The head of the Supreme Soviet of the Republic of Belarus of the 12th convocation Mechyslau Hryb, the head of the Belarusian Association of Journalists Zhana Litvina, the writers Uladzimir Arlou, Sviatlana Aleksiyevich and Adam Hlobus, the musicians Kasia Kamotskaya, Uladzimir Puhach and Zmitser Vaitsiushkevich, the TV and radio hosts Zinaida Bandarenka, Tamara Lisitskaya and Katsiaryna Pytleva. While signing the petition each of them expressed his/her attitude to this issue and drew arguments for abolishment of death penalty.

10.03.2009 Pressurization of Astravets activists continues

The prosecutor Astravets issued the warrant for examination of the apartments of Ivan Kruk and Mikalai Ulasevich, active participants of the civil initiative against construction of the nuclear power plant in Astravets district. The warrant was issued on Friday and the police tried to examine the apartments the same day.

10.03.2009 Europe expects system changes from Belarus

Delivering a speech in the Royal Institute of International Affairs in London, Benita Ferrero-Waldner, European Commissioner for External Relations and European Neighborhood Policy, stated that more political reforms are expected from the Belarusian regime.