The Human Rights Center “Viasna”

News for 4 Apr 2011

04.04.2011 Siarhei Kavalenka holds two protest hunger-strikes in a row

Siarhei Kavalenka, an activist of the Conservative-Christian Party Belarusian Popular Front, was detained for coming to the center of Vitsebsk with three white-red-white flags and chanting slogans on 25 March. He was charged with “disorderly conduct” and sentenced to 7 days of arrest.

04.04.2011 Volunteerism Development Center denied registration

The Ministry of Justice refused to register the Volunteerism Development Center because of “a number of incorrigible violations of the legal requirements”.

04.04.2011 Counsels Toustsik and Harayeva fail to get their licenses back

Lawyers Uladzimir Toustsik and Tamara Harayeva, who used to defend figurants of the 19 December “mass riot” criminal case appealed the decision of the Ministry of Justice concerning their deprival of licenses. The court declined their appeals. "The decision has not come into force yet, probably, they will appeal it in the higher instance court", said Justice Minister Halavanau.

04.04.2011 Viktar Kantsavenka asks for political asylum in Poland

Resident of Rechytsa Viktar Kantsavenka, an activist of the electoral team of Mikalai Statkevich during the 2010 presidential election, has filed documents for receiving political asylum in Poland.

04.04.2011 General Procuracy refuses to bring a criminal case concerning Aliaksei Mikhalevich’s statement about torture

The ex-presidential candidate Aliaksei Mikhalevich, an accused in the December 19 "mass riot" case as an accused, was arrested in the night of December 20 and released from the KGB pre-trial prison on 19 February on recognizance not to leave.

04.04.2011 Weekly review of post-election situation in Belarus (28 March – 3 April)

In the beginning of the week, several people detained during the street actions of 25 March, Freedom Day, were punished with administrative arrest: Mikola Dzemidzenka, Iryna Hubskaya, Viktar Ivashekvich, Zmitser Salauyou and journalist Uladzimir Laptsevich. The criminal persecution in connection with the protest rally of 19 December 2010 continued as well. One of its participants, 20-year-old Mikita Likhavid was sentenced to 3.5 years of medium-security colony.

04.04.2011 Family of figurant of 19 December “mass riot” case Aliaksandr Klaskouski can be disposed of house

Being a father with many children, last year Aliaksandr Klaskouski got an opportunity to obtain a soft loan to build a flat and even paid some deposits. In early January, the bank must have opened a credit line of the sum the family needed for home building. But Aliaknsadr Klaskouski was arrested at the night of 21 December. “It was only two weeks before obtaining the loan”, said his wife Natallia.

04.04.2011 Changes in the criminal case concerning 19 December “mass riot”

On 2 April, the Young Front activist Ales Kirkevich and a 27-year-old programmer Andrei Pratasenia received official charges under Article 293, part 2 of the Criminal Code, “mass riot”, the press-center of the Ministry of Internal Affairs informs. Kirkevich has been kept in custody since 28 January, Pratasenia – since 9 February.

04.04.2011 Likhavid, Budzimir, Malaletkin: circumstances of hunger-strikes connected to “mass riot case”

On 29 March Natallia Pykina, Judge of the Partyzanski district court of Minsk, found 20-year-old activist of the For Freedom movement Mikita Likhavid guilty of taking part in the “mass riot” that had allegedly taken place on 19 December 2010 in central Minsk, and sentenced him to 3.5 years in a medium security penal colony. After the trial, Mikita appealed against the judgement. On 31 March he also stated that on 4 April he would go on hunger-strike of protest against the unfair verdict. The action was supported by two more participants of the 19 December protest action, a well-known blogger Budzimir, and 49-year-old democratic activist from Orsha, Siarhei Malaletkin (by the way, the police had knocked out several teeth to him during the action).

04.04.2011 Administration of detention center in Akrestsin Street doesn’t accept medicines for Yauhen Kontush

A National-Bolshevik Yauhen Kontush, arrested for participation in an action of protest against the decision of the penalty execution department of the Ministry of Internal Affairs to close the only hospital for prisoners, was in a poor health condition and had fever when he was delivered to Akrestsin Street detention center. The court sentenced him to 12 days of arrest. Yauhen Kontush had a sick note with the diagnosis "quinsy" with him, moreover, he was appointed to visit his doctor that day.