The Human Rights Center “Viasna”

News for April 2009

08.04.2009 Supreme Court turns down Ales Mekh’s complaint

The Supreme Court turned down the complaint of the ex-candidate to the Chamber of Representatives Ales Mekh against the unlawful dismissal from job.

07.04.2009 Public statement: Human Rights Center

On 31 March 2009 Vitsebsk human rights activist, a founder of the public human rights association Nasha Viasna Leanid Svetsik received charges under two articles of the Criminal Code – fomentation of racial, national or religious enmity (Article 130 of the Criminal Code) and defamation of the president (Article 367 of the Criminal Code).

07.04.2009 Conclusion of the EU Council on Establishing the EU - Belarus Human Rights Dialogue

07.04.2009 Babruisk: prosecutor’s office refuses to bring a criminal case concerning repressions against ‘Bobruiskiy Kurier’

The prosecutor considered the complaint of Anatol Sanatsenka (chief editor of the non-state newspaper Bobruisky Kurier) and found no corpus delicti in the actions of officers of Babruisk town executive committee.

07.04.2009 Property of ‘For Freedom’ movement distrained

Furniture from the apartment where the leader of For Freedom movement met with his supporters, have been brought away by movers today.

06.04.2009 Show trial of army evaders conducted at state lyceum

Recently the students of the Belarusian State University have been shown what they could face if they evaded from the army. On 2 April officers of Maskouski district prosecutor’s office and Maskouski district court tried a number of army evaders at the lyceum of the Belarusian State University.

06.04.2009 Kobryn: youth activist gets detained for white-red-white flag

In Kobryn the police detained the local activist of Young Front Andre Vieramiuk for hanging out a white-red-white flag. At 6 p.m. on Saturday they hanged out the flag at 12-meter height on one of the buildings in the center of the city. When they wanted to go away from the place, the riot squad policemen approached them and said that some citizens complained about the white-red-white flag.

06.04.2009 Ales Bialiatski: ‘Navumau fulfils orders obediently’

Ales Bialiatski, head of Nasha Viasna human rights organization, thinks that a new interior minister won’t lead to better legal situation in the country.

03.04.2009 ‘European Belarus’ protests against Russian military bases in Belarus

On April 2 in Minsk near October cinema where lots of city dwellers were at that moment, three activists of the civil campaign European Belarus raised a national flag at the second-storey platform of the building and unfurled a poster with the words No to Russian military bases! Young oppositionists chanted: ‘Russian soldier, go home!’, ‘No to union! Yes to freedom!’, ‘No to union with imperialistic Russia!’

03.04.2009 Two graves have been dug out in Kurapaty

Graves of victims of Stalin’s repressions were defaced in Kurapaty memorial complex – human remains were thrown about.

03.04.2009 Kazulin, Liabedzka and Viachorka were detained on the border

Belarusian oppositionists Anatol Liabedzka, Alexander Kazulin, and Vintsuk Viachorka were detained at the Lithuanian-Belarusian border in the morning on 3 April.

02.04.2009 Authorities of Baranavichy liquidate the right to peaceful assemblies

Adherents of the For Freedom movement have received a negative answer from Brest oblast executive committee to their proposal to abolish the ruling of Baranavichy city executive committee About the rules of holding mass actions in the city of Baranavichy.

02.04.2009 Police arrest opposition activist Alesia Yasiuk

Officers of the Partyzanski district police department detained the activist of the civil campaign European Belarus from Barysau Alesia Yasiuk for spreading stickers.

02.04.2009 ‘Young Front’ pickets House of Government on ‘Unity Day’

Activists of Young Front organization have held a picket in front of the House of government. They held a white-red-white flag and a flag of the organization, as well as the streamer ‘NO to union, NO to occupation’.

02.04.2009 Opposition filed application for sanctioning Charnobyl Way 2009

The organizing committee of the action filed an application to the Minsk city executive committee on 2 April. According to RFE/RL, the committee consists of leaders of the Belarusian Popular Front party Liavon Barshcheuski, Vintsuk Viachorka and Viktar Ivashkevich, head of the United Civil Party Anatol Liabedzka, and chairman of the Party of Communists of Belarus Siarhei Kaliakin.