The Human Rights Center “Viasna”

News for October 2009

07.10.2009 Anatol Liabedzka detained on Belarusian border

The leader of the United Civil Party Anatol Liabedzka was detained after a personal search on the Belarusian-Lithuanian border in the morning of 7 October. As he said to the BelaPAN, Belarusian border guards became interested in his documents and then asked to show a customs declaration. After that the UCP leader was searched.

07.10.2009 Belarusian-language program dropped from air on 'Unistar' radio

The leadership of Unistar radio decided to take off the air Viktar Syamashka’s program Novaya Ziamlia, the only Belarusian-language program on this radio that could be heard since 1995, udf.by reports.

07.10.2009 Mikalai Autukhovich doesn’t regain weight after hunger-strike

Pavel Sapelka, lawyer of the political prisoner Mikalai Autukhovich, states his client hasn’t recovered after the long hungry strike.

06.10.2009 ‘Autoradio’ gets warned for joint project with European Radio for Belarus

On 30 September 2009 the management of Autoradio FM-radio station from Minsk received an official warning from the Ministry of Information for ‘non-fulfillment of creative concept of broadcasting’.

06.10.2009 Chairman of Supreme Court defends practice of runarounds

On 5 October Valiantsin Sukala still refuses to discuss the problem of judicial runarounds. As said to the BelaPAN by the resident of Babruisk Valiantsina Kavalenka, 21 women from different parts of Belarus came to get Valiantsin Sukala’s audience on this matter that day.

06.10.2009 Anonymous black PR action against Zmitser Dashkevich

Portraits of Young Front leader Zmitser Dashkevich calling to beware of ‘blighter of infant souls’ has recently appeared in Minsk.

06.10.2009 Number of suspects in Autukhovich’s case gets smaller

Criminal proceedings against 4 persons who, together with Vaukavysk businessman Mikalai Autukhovich, were suspects in the case of a terrorist attack preparation have been stopped.

05.10.2009 Prosecutor’s office sees no law violations in beating of opposition activists

Maskouski district prosecutor’s office of Minsk answered the complaint of the activists of the civil campaign European Belarus concerning the unlawful actions of the police on 16 July 2009.

05.10.2009 Activist of ‘European Belarus’ detained for handing out leaflets about trade-union rally

Belarusian Trade Union of Radio Electronic Industry and Belarusian Congress of Democratic Trade Unions applied to Minsk city executive committee for authorization of a rally on 7 October.

05.10.2009 Autukhovich’s wife is forced to testify against her husband

Vital Klachko, investigator of Autukhovich’s case, refuses to give the lawyer Aleh Vouchak a general power of attorney of the Autukhovichs. Besides, he demands that Alena Autukhovich should be questioned as a witness, though the women refused to give evidence.

02.10.2009 Fines in Vialeika

On 2 October the trial of Uladzimir Maliarchuk, Ales Narkevich and Aliaksei Siudak came to an end. They were charged with holding an unauthorized rally on 1 September near the village of Krasny Berazhok, where some memorial crosses were installed. These crosses were dismantled by the district authorities in several days and an administrative case was brought against participants of the commemorative action.

02.10.2009 Supreme Court leaves death verdict to Yuzepchuk in force

On 2 October the Supreme Court of Belarus considered the cassation complaint on the criminal case of Vasil Yuzepchuk who had been sentenced to death by Brest oblast court on 29 June. The complaint was turned down.

01.10.2009 Brief description of the events that took place in Minsk on 9 and 16 September 2009

On 9 September several tens of people came to Kastrychnitskaya Square of Minsk to protest against the arrival of a military contingent of the Russian Federation in Belarus for participation in the joint Belarusian-Russian military trainings. The protesters were holding the banner ‘Russian Army Go Home!’ The action was peaceful. Its participants did not hinder the traffic and the movement of pedestrians. They were standing in the center of the square and did not interfere with the work of shops and normal vital activity of other citizens. Several minutes after the beginning of the picket people in mufti tired to tear the banner out of the hands of participants of the action, but did not succeed. Then, several minutes later, the riot police arrived and started detaining the present people with the use of physical violence. All in all, about 20 persons were detained that day. Some of them were detained by people in mufti preventively, before the action: the leader of the Young Front Zmitser Dashkevich, the member of the BPF Youth Siarzhuk Karpovich, etc. Such detentions took place when the activists were approaching Kastrychnitskaya Square. The majority of the detainees were guarded to Tsentralny district police department of Minsk. The reports about violation of Article 23.34 (violation of the order of organizing and holding mass events) of the Administrative Code were drawn up on them. A report about violation of Article 17.1 (petty hooliganism) was also drawn up on Zmitser Dashkevich. 17 detainees were locked up in the center for isolation of delinquents for the night. In the morning they were taken to the Tsentralny district court of Minsk.

01.10.2009 Pastor of ‘New Life’ Church fined for hindrance to officers of Ministry of Emergency Situations

Maskouski district court of Minsk fined the pastor of the New Life Church Viachaslau Hancharenka 420 000 rubles (about $147) for hindering the officers of the Ministry of Emergency Situations who examined the temple.

01.10.2009 CCP BPF activist no longer suspected in terrorism

On 10 July the activist of the Conservative Christian Party Belarusian Popular Front Kanstantsin Ulanau was detained by police and spent ten days in custody in the pre-trial prison in Akrestsin Street on charges in participation in the terrorist group that was preparing a terrorist act.