The Human Rights Center “Viasna”

News for April 2011

25.04.2011 Homel court turns down appeal against brutal arrest of local opposition activist

Homel Regional Court dismissed a complaint lodged by local opposition activist Uladizmir Niapomniashchykh against actions by policemen who detained him on 25 March. As a result, the activist was sentenced to 2 days of arrest for “using foul language.”

25.04.2011 Ales Kalita sentenced to 10 days of arrest

Today, Homel Chyhunachny District Court sentenced Ales Kalita, former leader of the BPF Youth, to 10 days of administrative arrest for alleged disorderly conduct.

25.04.2011 Weekly review of post-election situation in Belarus (18-24 April)

The 11 April terrorist act in Minsk metro was followed by increasing harassment of independent mass media: prosecuting and executive authorities addressed warnings to individual journalists and editorial boards of several media. Public media launched a campaign of discrediting against independent mass media. In these circumstances, the Belarusian Association of Journalists released a statement entitled “Stop Persecution of Our Colleagues!” Another person was reported as involved in the mass riot criminal case – Vital Stazharau. The dates of trials of 11 defendants in the 19 December 2010 case were appointed. On 19 April, activists of the “Nash Dom” civil campaign Valery Shchukin, Aleh Barshcheuski, Pavel Levinau and Pavel Staneuski were preventively detained and later sentenced to administrative arrests. Another activist Volha Karach was fined. The authorities banned all events marking the 25th anniversary of Chernobyl disaster.

25.04.2011 Prosecutor’s Office to interrogate Kastusyou about blast

Former presidential candidate of the BPF Party Ryhor Kastusyou will be interrogated at Minsk City Office of the Public Prosecutor at 10 a.m. tomorrow.

25.04.2011 Ales Kalita is detained

Former leader of “BPF Youth” Ales Kalita was detained by Homel police on the night of April 24.

22.04.2011 9 warnings to journalists in 7 days

Belarusian mass media have encountered increasing harassment following a terrorist act in Minsk metro on 11 April, with 10 warnings addressed to individual journalists and editorial boards within just 7 days between 12 and 19 April following the blast.

22.04.2011 Statement of the Steering Council of the Committee on International Control

The participating organizations of the Committee on International Control over the Situation with Human Rights in Belarus are concerned about the situation regarding representatives of the International Observation Mission, established under the auspices of the Committee. These concerns are especially relevant in light of recent invocation of the OSCE Moscow Mechanism with regard to Belarus and also in the light of statements of representatives of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Belarus containing claims that Belarus strictly observes all OSCE commitments in the human dimension.

22.04.2011 Picket on Chernobyl anniversary prohibited in Hrodna

The organizer of the action Vadzim Saranchukou will address to the public prosecutor's office for explanation of legal reasons for this.

22.04.2011 Palazhanka summoned to court as a witness

Palazhanka is supposed to give testimony at trial against her allies' trial: Kirkevich, Khamichenka, Drozd, Vinahradau and Pratasenia.

22.04.2011 Mechyslau Hryb summoned to prosecutor’s office

Mechyslau Hryb, a former chairman of the Supreme Council of Belarus, has been summoned to the Minsk city prosecutor’s office.

22.04.2011 Belarus declares war on Ukrainian civil society

On 21 April, another Ukrainian human rights defender Mikhail Kamenev was not able to enter Belarus after he was declared an “unwelcome” person by the country’s authorities. Mikhail Kamenev, deputy chair of the All-Ukrainian youth organization “Foundation of Regional Initiatives” and member of the Public Council of the Ukrainian Interior Ministry, was not allowed crossing the Belarusian border, as he was going to Minsk as information aid to head of the International Observation Mission of the Committee of International Control over the Human Rights Situation in Belarus.

22.04.2011 BPF Vitsebsk activist Kavalenka arrested

On 21 April, Siarhei Kavalenka, Vitsebsk activist of the Belarusian Popular Front Party, was taken to local detention center to serve 12 more days of administrative arrest awarded to him in March.

22.04.2011 Salihorsk authorities ban Chernobyl remembrance rally

Salihorsk town authorities banned a meeting dedicated to the 25th anniversary of Chernobyl disaster due to “the absence of definiteness of the rally’s format”.

22.04.2011 Youth activist Shulzhytski released

Youth activist Uladzimir Shulzhytski was released yesterday evening after he was detained by Smarhon KGB on 20 April on suspicion of involvement in the 11 April Minsk metro terrorist act.

22.04.2011 Mahiliou court turns down complaint by BelaPAN reporter

On 21 April, Mahiliou regional court dismissed a complaint by BelaPAN news agency reporter Uladzimir Laptsevich against an earlier decision by Leninski District Court, which sentenced him to 7 days of administrative arrest for alleged resisting arrest on 28 March.