The Human Rights Center “Viasna”

News for January 2011

12.01.2011 Asipovichy: activist of Uladzimir Niakliayeu’s electoral team dismissed from work

Ihar Treshchau, an activists of the electoral team of the presidential candidate Uladzimir Niakliayeu, was dismissed from the mobile mechanized column #95 where he dealt with equipment maintenance. He worked there for six months and had no reprimands for this time.

12.01.2011 Homel KGB continues searches

The Homel KGB officers searched the apartment of Yury Klimovich, an electioneering agent of the presidential candidate Vital Rymasheuski and a member of the organizing committee of the Belarusian Christian Party. The search was conducted by four persons headed by Captain Andrei Melnikau. They took away Yury’s computer and materials of Rymasheuski’s electoral campaign.

12.01.2011 Inform-progulka fined 700,000 rubles

The Luninets District Court ruled to fine the editorial board of the private regional newspaper Inform-progulka 700,000 rubles (about $230) for publishing advertisement of the foreign satellite TV channel BelSat without mentioning the account number of the foreign payer.

12.01.2011 Dzmitry Bulanau detained for 3 days as suspect in ‘mass riot’ case

Dzmitry Bulanau, a participant of the protest rally of 19 December, served 10-day arrest, during which he was repeatedly interrogated concerning the events that had taken place during the action.

12.01.2011 Brest: search at Zinaida Mikhniuk’s apartment was finally conducted

In the afternoon of 12 January investigators searched the apartment of Zinaida Mikhniuk, an activist of the Trade Union of Radio Electronic Industry. They spent more than 1.5 hours looking through her things, but confiscated only a notebook with phone numbers of activists of the independent trade union. The computer equipment was confiscated from the trade union during the previous search.

12.01.2011 Pavel Vinahradau given charges on ‘mass riot’ case

On 11 January an activist of the Speak Truth civil campaign Pavel Vinahradau was given charges under Article 293, part 1 and 2 of the Criminal Code – organization of and participation in mass riot. Mr. Vinahradau is kept in custody.

12.01.2011 Maksim Dashuk held in custody since 9 January

Maksim’s mother told that he has been kept in the Zhodzina jail since 9 January. That day Zinkevich, an investigator of the Savetski District Police Department of Minsk, came to their home and presented the warrant for arrest of Mr. Dashuk for an alleged violation of the rules of serving his penalty.

12.01.2011 Hrodna: KGB search at BPF office is over

According to Vadzim Saranchukou, the Chairperson of the Hrodna branch of the Belarusian Popular Front Party, the search was conducted within the framework of the criminal case concerning the ‘mass riot’ in Minsk on 19 December. The formulation in the warrant ordered the investigators to ‘search the regional headquarters of Kastusiou’, though there’s no such body.

12.01.2011 Mahiliou: KGB warns Dzmitry Salauyou

Dzmitry Salauyou, the Deputy Chairperson of the Mahiliou city branch of the Popular Front Party, was issued with an official warning ‘for repeated attempts to take parts in unauthorized mass events’, by which KGB officers mean laying down flowers to memorial signs in Mahiliou on 25 March and 26 April 2010.

12.01.2011 Embassy of Belarus in UK distributes press-release concerning political prisoners kept in KGB prison

You can see a photo of the English version of the press-release on the following address: http://charter97.org/en/news/2011/1/11/35149/

12.01.2011 Minsk City Court refused to change restraint to presidential candidate Uladzimir Niakliayeu

The Minsk City Court turned down the cassation appeal by Uladzimir Bukshtynau, the lawyer of the presidential candidate Uladzimir Niakliayeu, against a ruling of the Tsentralny District Court of Minsk to further keep Mr. Niakliayeu in custody.

12.01.2011 Natallia Kaliada and Mikalai Khalezin are suspects in ‘mass riot’ case

The apartments belonging to the parents of Mikalai Khalezin and Natallia Kaliada, who are correspondingly the art-director and the director of the Free Theatre, were searched on 11 January, informs BelaPAN.

12.01.2011 Homel: computer equipment confiscated from Larysa Shchyrakova

KGB officers searched the apartment of the journalist from Homel Larysa Shchyrakova on 11 January. She is a member of the Belarusian Association of Journalists and works with a series of non-state media.

12.01.2011 Wife of presidential candidate Mikhalevich is ‘asked’ not to go to Warsaw. Their apartment searched again today

The arrested ex-presidential candidate Aleiaksei Mikhalevich called his wife on the phone yesterday. It happened at about 7 p.m., says Milana Mikhalevich. He warned her not to speak at the hearings in the Polish Seym. According to her, ‘it was his voice but the words he used were not his’, informs Nasha Niva

12.01.2011 Hrodna: Viktar Sazonau detained by KGB

On 12 January morning KGB officers came to the apartment of Viktar Sazonau, an electioneering agent of the presidential candidate Andrei Sannikau and the Chairperson of the Hrodna city branch of the Belarusian Social Democratic Hramada. Their aim was to hold a search at Hramada’s office.