The Human Rights Center “Viasna”

News for April 2011

29.04.2011 Viasna activist Tseliapun receives Chernobyl Courage Cross

Uladzimir Tseliapun, Mazyr activist of the Human Rights Center “Viasna”, has been awarded the Ukrainian order “Chernobyl Cross: Courage, Honour, Humanity” for his contribution to the removal of the consequences of the 26 April 1986 Chernobyl disaster on the site of the event.

29.04.2011 Homel authorities reverse decision on May Day rally

On 28 April, Homel city authorities reversed their earlier decision on authorization of a May Day opposition rally applied for by local activists of the Fair World Belarusian United Left Party.

29.04.2011 Anarchists’ case reaches court

The criminal cases of Belarusian anarchists Ihar Alinevich, Mikalai Dziadok, Aliaksandr Frantskevich and Maksim Vetkin will be heard by Judge Mrs. Zhanna Khvainitskaya of Minsk Zavodski District Court between 18 and 23 May.

29.04.2011 Russian HR defender deported from Belarus

On 28 April, Russian human rights defender representing the International Observation Mission Ivan Kondratenko was detained and later ordered to leave Belarus within 24 hours.

29.04.2011 “European Belarus” activist fined for solidarity

The court of Tsentralny district of Minsk has sentenced a “European Belarus” activist Alyaksandr Kudlaeu to a fine of 50 basic units.

28.04.2011 Prisoner’s Godparenthood: Marek Migalski adopts Dzmitry Bandarenka

Marek Migalski, a substitute to the European Parliament’s Delegation for relations with Belarus takes over a prisoner’s godparenthood for Dzmitry Bandarenka.

28.04.2011 Zhodzina police stop seminar

At about 12.25 this afternoon, Zhodzina police broke into a private house, where a seminar on the region’s social development was underway.

28.04.2011 Barysau authorities ban May Day picket

On 27 April, Barysau trade union activist Mikalai Pakhabau received a reply from local authorities denying permission for holding a picket on International Labour Solidarity Day – May 1.

27.04.2011 Ministry of Information tries to close “Nasha Niva” and “Narodnaya Volya"

The Ministry of Information has mounted suits in order to stop the printing of the editions to the Belarusian Supreme Economic Court.

27.04.2011 Zmitser Bandarenka sentenced to 2 years of imprisonment in 19 December trial

On 27 April, Judge Tatsiana Ravinskaya of Minsk Pershamaiski District Court sentenced Zmitser Bandarenka, coordinator of the European Belarus civil campaign, to 2 years of imprisonment in a general security penal colony.

27.04.2011 Seven foreign nationals to be deported from Belarus

Six German nationals and a citizen of Poland will be deported from Belarus, after they stood trials and were fined for involvement in a picket of protest at the construction of a nuclear power plant.

26.04.2011 Activist Trukhanovich detained outside Minsk Frunzenski Court

At about noon today, several persons in plain clothes reportedly detained activist Ihar Trukhanovich outside Minsk Frunzenski District Court, where several activists were standing trial for staging an anti-nuclear picket.

26.04.2011 Polatsk court convicts activists

Polatsk court sentenced two local activists Viktar Kalesnik and Aliaksandr Kalintsau to two days of administrative arrest each for alleged using foul language yesterday evening.

26.04.2011 Activists of Sannikov’s campaign headquarters arrested in Polatsk

On April 25, in the evening activists of the campaign headquarters of the presidential candidate Andrei Sannikov, Viktar Kalesnik and Alyaksandr Kalintsau, were detained in Polatsk.

25.04.2011 International Observation Mission calls for publicity of 19 December trials

The International Observation Mission has addressed chairs of Minsk district courts with a demand to guarantee the publicity of the forthcoming court proceedings on charges against the persons involved in the 19 December 2010 mass riot criminal case.