24.04.2009 Nasha Viasna to apply for registration for the last time

On 25 April the founders of the Nasha Viasna human rights organization are going to apply to the Ministry of Justice for registration for a third time. At the same time, they stress that this attempt will be the last, even in case the application is turned down again. ‘If the state represented by the Ministry of Justice is not ready, does not want or cannot register human rights NGOs, it will be a problem for the state itself. We can perform human rights activities without official registration. It is our legal right, guaranteed by the Constitution and the international human rights standards,’ said the human rights activist and one of Nasha Viasna’s co-founders Valiantsin Stefanovich.

24.04.2009 Human rights activist Sazonau warned by KGB

This morning Viktar Sazonau, democratic activist and human rights experts from Hrodna, was visited by two KGB agents who served a writ upon the activist and took him to Hrodna Regional KGB Office. There he was warned of possible criminal prosecution for further political activities under Article 342 of the Criminal Code – ‘organizing or active participation in group actions, which brutally violate public order.’ Viktar Sazonau thinks the warning is a means of psychological pressure and intimidation.

24.04.2009 KGB got interested in “For Independence!” opposition march

KGB officers visited a plant yesterday, where “Young Front” activist Anton Rusin works.

“I asked them to introduce themselves, and one of them answered ‘I can introduce my self so that you will be fired and won’t find a job anywhere,’” the activist told the “Young Front” press service.

Unknown people in mufti were asking Anton Rusin about the “Young Front”, its leaders, “For Independence!” march prepared by the organization. The youth leader refused to answer the questions.

24.04.2009 Mikalai Autukhovich: “Draw attention to egregious lawlessness in Belarus”

The text of the statement by the political prisoner on hunger strike has been sent to the Charter’97 press center.

Mikalai Autukhovich, the arrested businessman from Vaukavysk, has been on hunger strike in the pre-trial detection center of the militia department of the Minsk city executive committee since April 16. It should be reminded that businessmen Yury Lyavonau, Mikalai Autukovich, and Uladzimir Asipenka were detained on February 8. Their detention and search in their flats were authorized by the prosecutor of the Hrodna region. On February 18, the three businessmen were charged under article 218 of the Criminal Code (intentional destruction or damage to property of citizens).

23.04.2009 Mikhail Pastukhou: ‘The abolition of the death penalty is a sign of the state’s and the society’s achievement of a certain level of development when the human life is recognized as the supreme value not to be defied by anyone, including the state’

Mikhail Pastukhou, famous lawyer and human rights expert, head of the Legal Aid Center of the Belarusian Association of Journalists, ex-judge of the Belarusian Supreme Court (1994-1996), has joined the civil campaign promoting the abolition of the capital punishment in Belarus ‘Human Rights Activists against the Death penalty.’ He stresses that the issue is ripe and certain measures should be taken.

23.04.2009 Estonian Foreign Minister says EU should force Belarus respect human rights

On 22 April the Tallinn-based EU Information Center hosted a debate on Belarus’ membership in the Eastern Partnership program, featuring the Estonian Foreign Minister Urmas Paet, MP Andres Herkel, as well as Belarusian students, studying in Estonia. ‘Minister Paet stressed that the European Union’s objective was making Minsk respect human rights in the country and observe international standards in the sphere. Otherwise, the EU may within a short period of time reimpose all its former sanctions on the existing regime,’ said the initiator of the meeting head of the Open Republic youth NGO Yauhen Kryshtafovich. ‘There is no doubt that changes do not occur within half a year, but, as the MP Herkel and Mr. Kryshtafovich stressed, Lukashenka could have abolish the controversial articles within 30 minutes. The cooperation is only possible in case it is mutual,’ said Ihar Sluchak, Belarusian student of Tartu University.

23.04.2009 Mahiliou Court turns down claim by independent trade union

On 22 April Mahiliou Leninski Court turned down the claim by the independent trade union of radioelectronic industry against the illegal refusal to register the trade union’s local office by Mahiliou city authorities. The decision was based on the unanimity of the fonders’ occupations. During the trial the trade union’s legal inspector Aliaksandr Karaliou called the decision by the authorities a politically motivated one and demanded that the court reversed it, since it violated the Belarusian legislation and a number of international treaties ratified by Belarus.

23.04.2009 Oppositionist convicted lacking corpus delicti

Brest Regional Court has turned down the appeal by Baranavichy activist Ryhor Hryk, who had been accused of organizing an unauthorized entrepreneur rally in Baranavichy in January 2009 and fined BYR 700,000. According to the human rights activist Siarhei Housha, it was proven that Hryk had not been the organizer of the rally. Besides, the arrest records were drawn up illegally. The witnesses stated in the records testified that they had not named Hryk the organizer of the rally. However, the courts of the two levels paid no attention to this evidence and convicted the activist. Ryhor Hryk considers the case a provocation by the KGB and the police and is going to appeal the verdict at the Supreme Court.

23.04.2009 Activist Mikhail Ilyin gets 10 days of prison

Brest Leninski Court has found a Young Front member Mikhail Ilyin guilty of disorderly conduct and sentenced him to 10 days of imprisonment. ‘Mr.Ilyin did not deny that he had laid a toilet and four rolls of toilet paper under the monument to Lenin in the central square of the city on 22 April. According to him, by doing this he expressed his attitude towards Communism and the existing cult of Lenin’s personality,’ said the human rights activist Raman Kisliak.

22.04.2009 Supreme Court turns down claim by Nasha Viasna

On 22 April the Supreme Court of Belarus turned down the complaint by the founders of the Nasha Viasna human rights organization. Judge Ihar Milto found the decision by the Ministry of Justice legal due to certain procedural violations, including inaccuracies in the founders’ lists and the organization’s Charter. Besides, state duty payment receipt lacked the name of the NGO. All other arguments of the Ministry of Justice were found legally invalid. The court stressed that the above-mentioned flaws could not be corrected within the period of registration since the postponement of registration is not the duty but the right of the registration authority.

22.04.2009 Assembly of Pro-Dem NGOs adopts statement on Belarus membership in Eastern Partnership

‘We welcome the European Union’s recent initiative – the Eastern Partnership – and consider it a historical chance for Belarus on its way towards the European values. We are confident that Belarus’ membership in the project should depend on the inner situation in the country. Otherwise, the Eastern Partnership will be a means of conservation of the current situation in Belarus with minor cosmetic changes. In our opinion, the current situation in Belarus restrains Belarus’ activity in the initiative on the political level. The restrictions of political cooperation should not impair other declared project components.

22.04.2009 Baranavichy activists fight for reform of demonstration procedures

On 30 April Baranavichy Town and District Court will consider the case of a number of pro-democratic activists fighting for the abolition of Decree #4 by Baranavichy Town Authorities, introducing severe restrictions to rally conduction regulations. Siarhei Housha, Karnei Piatrovich and Viktar Syrytsa think that the decision practically outlaws any possibilities of holding mass actions in the town. The activists have previously appealed the decision at the Town Council and Brest Regional Executive Committee. However, their claims were turned down.

22.04.2009 Hrodna Regional Court fails to reinstate fired local council deputy

Hrodna Regional Court has turned down the claim by deputy of Masty District Council Zmitser Kukhlei who had been trying to rehabilitate his rights after he had been fired by his employer at the Mastydreu state-owned enterprise for his active participation in the 2008 parliamentary election. In his interview to www.belradio.fm, Zmitser Kukhlei said that he was going to appeal the decision at the Supreme Court of Belarus.

22.04.2009 Young Front activist faces expulsion

Piotr Ruzau, member of the Young Front youth oppositional movement, is threatened with expulsion from Brest State University. He has been visited by a policeman who accused him of inscribing several anti-corruption graffiti in a local rail yard. After that Dean of the Faculty of Finance and Law told the youngster he might be expelled from the University for his civil activity.

21.04.2009 Independent journalist Liubenchuk fined

Judge Yury Harbatouski has found independent journalist Ales Liubenchuk guilty of violing public order and fined him BYR 700,000. Ales Liubenchuk was arrested on 16 April after a trial over Zmitser Khvedaruk as he tried to take picture of a plainclothes policeman. ‘It looks like the police have not had the time to give the same evidence, for their words were completely different. After all, I do not understand how the judge could find me guilty,’ said the journalist after the trial.