The Human Rights Center “Viasna”

News for 12 Jul 2010

12.07.2010 Review-Chronicle of Human Rights Violations in June 2010

On 8 June representatives of the Human Rights Center Viasna and the Belarusian Helsinki Committee held a press-conference to analyze the situation during the first six months of 2010. They stated the absence of positive changes concerning the respect of human rights along with the deterioration of the general situation due to the approach of the presidential election. What concerns the latest amendments to the Electoral Code, human rights defenders alleged that they had little influence on the latest local election, which didn't have significant differences from the previous ones.

12.07.2010 Girlfriend of arrested Cameroonian intends to come to Minsk to picket prison in Akrestsin Street

Spanish citizen Inmaculada Gonzales whose boyfriend, Cameroonian Guy Francois Toukam, was detained by the Belarusian border guards more than a month ago, is going to Minsk. She has been driven to such desperation by the inaction of the duty officials of different agencies that she seriously considers holding a picket near the prison in Akrestsin Street, where the goalkeeper of the Norwegian futsal club IOF is still kept.

12.07.2010 Vitsebsk: Siarhei Kavalenka in danger of imprisonment

A new criminal case can be instigated against the civil activist Siarhei Kavalenka for evasion from serving the three-year deferred sentence.

12.07.2010 Minsk authorities ban anti-corruption picket

According to Yury Karetnikau, the leader of the Right Alliance, the Minsk City Executive Committee dismissed the organization’s application for sanctioning an anti-corruption picket on Banhalor Square on 12 July.

12.07.2010 Polish MP not let in Belarus

Robert Tyszkiewicz, Deputy Chairperson of the Parliament on Foreign Relations, was going to Belarus as a member of a delegation invited by the disgraced Union of Poles in Belarus to celebrate an anniversary of Wostraja Brama, a military operation of Armia Krajowa for liberation of Vilnius from the Nazi troops during WWII.

12.07.2010 Circulation of ‘Volny Horad’ newspaper arrested by police

According to the editor, Siarhei Niarouny, the newspaper published a material about the scandalous film Godfather (about Aliaksandr Lukashenka) broadcast by the Russian NTV Channel. The journalist supposes this caused the arrest of the paper.