The Human Rights Center “Viasna”

News for 5 Oct 2010

05.10.2010 Niasvizh authorities work only with state press

This statement was made by the head of the ideological department of the Niasvizh District Executive Committee Aliaksandr Karniushkin in a conversation with the deputy editor of the Niasvizhski Chas Ihar Yeutukh.

05.10.2010 Review-Chronicle of Human Rights Violations in Belarus in September 2010

The beginning of autumn was rich in socio-political events, which was partially connected with the approach of the presidential electoral campaign. September was marked with forced dispersals of peaceful street actions, mass detentions, an ongoing crackdown on freedom of expression, judicial persecution of social and political activists, and linguistic discrimination. The untimely death of the journalist of the web-site charter97.org Aleh Biabenin, throwing of Molotov cocktails at the Russian Embassy and the delinquents' isolation center in Minsk and the repeating arrests of a number of youth activists contributed to creation of a tense atmosphere. The month ended with a human rights week in Vilnius that included three important events – an annual meeting of the network of Human Rights Houses, the international conference on human rights in Belarus and the Baltic countries and the Belarusian Human Rights Forum II.

05.10.2010 Collectors of signatures still face obstacles

The Minsk riot policemen and workers of the city department store (HUM) tried to disband a picket whose participants collected signatures for nomination of Andrei Sannikau a presidential candidate.

05.10.2010 Barysau: military officers engage in electoral campaign

A working group on the preparation and holding of the presidential election was established at the bureau of the North-Western Operational Command. It is headed by the Deputy Commander for ideological work, Colonel Siarhei Karaliou.

05.10.2010 Biaroza District Executive Committee informs, but gives no explanations

The residents of Biaroza Tamara Schapiotkina and Siarhei Rusetski received from Executive Committee the notes signed by the Deputy Chairperson Yauhen Tarasiuk, informing that that they hadn’t been included in the Biaroza District Election Commission.

05.10.2010 Collection of signatures for Aliaksandr Lukashenka in Hrodna and Kalinkavichy

Cases of forced signing in support of Aliaksandr Lukashenka’s candidacy for the presidnetial position were registered in Hrodna.

05.10.2010 Mazyr authorities forget to publish list of members of Mazyr District Election Commission

The Mazyr district press hasn’t published the information about the members of the Mazyr District Territorial Election Commission, though according to Article 34, paragraph 6 of the Electoral Code, ‘the decision about the formation of the commission must be published in the local press within seven days since its adoption… The name, patronymic and the surname of each member of the commission, the way of their nomination to the commission, the location and the telephones of the election commission must be mentioned in the text of the decision.’

05.10.2010 Baranavichy: observer looking for election commission

The member of the Belarusian Language Society Siarhei Housha didn’t manage to register as an observer at the Baranavichy City Election Commission. On 30 September he tried to find the place where the sitting of the commission was taking place, but to no avail. On 1 October he spent all days trying to get registered as an observer at the election commission as well.