The Human Rights Center “Viasna”

News for April 2010

06.04.2010 Homel coalition of United Democratic Forces withdraws from elections

The Homel coalition of the United Democratic Forces (the Belarusian Party of Leftists Fair World and the United Civil Party) withdraws its candidates from the elections. This decision was taken by the council of the Homel regional UCP organization and the Homel regional committee of the Fair World. However, three members of each party continue running in the electoral race.

06.04.2010 Yauhen Yakavenka declared evader from military services and will be tried

The case on the evasion of Yauhen Yakavenka, activist of the Belarusian Christian Democracy party, from the draft, was passed to the Tsentralny district court of Homel. He learned it on 6 April from a letter of the local procuracy.

06.04.2010 Court marshals in Anzhalika Borys' apartment

In Hrodna, court marshals came to the apartment of Anzhalika Borys, Chairperson of the Union of Poles in Belarus, in order to attach her property in connection with the 4,200,000 rubles fine that was imposed on her as the head of the Polonika firm (the firm was fined 122 million rubles).

06.04.2010 Baranavichy city procuracy again evades from implementing its duties

Observer Siarhei Housha received another runaround from the Baranavichy city procuracy, signed by prosecutor I.Palyka. As usual, the prosecutor didn’t give a substantial answer. He just wrote that his application was forwarded to colonel V.Herasimovich, head of the main police department, for holding a check-up.

06.04.2010 39 electors 'went missing' in Svetlahorsk district

Mikalai Lazarenka and Iryna Sarychava, members of constituency election commissions of the Svetlahorsk district (Homel region) who were nominated to the commissions by the Belarusian Party of Leftists Fair World, found a mismatch in the data published by two different commissions and addressed Siarhei Miarkulau, Chairperson of the Svetlahorsk district election commissions, Deputy Chairperson of the Svetlahorsk district executive committee on ideology, with an appropriate letters.

06.04.2010 Andrei Kasheuski detained again

Activist Andrei Kasheuski from Zhodzina was detained on 5April at about 7 p.m. on the Asipovichy–Minsk train.

06.04.2010 Official press refuses to publish Franak Viachorka's electoral program

The state-owned Mazyr newspaper Zhyttsio Palessia refused to publish the program of candidate Franak Viachorka.

05.04.2010 Yet another act of vandalism in Kurapaty

Five crosses in Kurapaty memorial complex were broken by vandals.

05.04.2010 Babruisk: Viachaslau Sheleh appeals against the registration denial

Viachaslau Sheleh, a member of the Belarusian Christian Democracy Party, lodged a complaint with the Mahiliou regional court against the decision of the Babruisk town election commission to deny him registration as a candidate for deputy. The case will be tried this week.

05.04.2010 Babruisk: Taisiya Kabanchuk’s case returned to police for correction

Taisiya Kabanchuk, Chairperson of the Babruisk branch of the Belarusian Christian Democracy Party, was detained at the railway station of Babruisk on 25 March. She was heading for Minsk. The police charged her with resistance during the detention.

05.04.2010 Mahiliou: candidate for deputy banned to hold electoral meeting

Activist of the civil association Belarusian Popular Front Adradzhenne Anatol Tsydzik, candidate for the Mahiliou city Council of Deputies, was banned to hold a meeting with electors on the territory of his election constituency.

05.04.2010 Hrodna: regional TV shows public address of candidate Zarembiuk in wrong time

Ales Zarembiuk, representative of the regional branch of the For Freedom movement, candidate for the Hrodna regional Council of Deputies at the Malyshchynskaya election constituency #8, filed a complaint with the Central Election Commission after his electoral address was broadcast at the wrong time by the Hrodna regional TV and radio association.

05.04.2010 Vitsebsk region: paradoxes of election campaign

One can find some unexplainable paradoxes during analysis of election data in certain towns of the Vitsebsk region.

05.04.2010 No 'elegant victory' in Barysau?

The Barysau district election commission headed by Mikalai Zeliankevich refused to register pensioner Tamara Kavazhenka as a candidate for the district Council of Deputies. Thanks to her active struggle for solving the problem of impoundment of the yards of the Dymki suburb, the woman became quite popular among the local dwellers and earned their respect. That's why she easily collected more than 500 signatures in support of her candidacy.

05.04.2010 Baranavichy: entrepreneur Charnavus appeals against non-registration of his candidacy

On 2 April entrepreneur Mikalai Charnavus lodged with the Brest regional court a complaint against his non-registration as a candidate for the Baranavichy city Council of Deputies, expressing disagreement with the ruling of the Brest regional election commission that left standing the ruling of the Baranavichy city election commission concerning the registration denial.