The Human Rights Center “Viasna”

News for May 2011

06.05.2011 Vitsebsk: Siarhei Kavalenka serves arrest with breaks

On 1 April the criminal-executive commission sentenced the Vitsebsk activist of the Conservative-Christian Party Belarusian Popular Front Siarhei Kavalenka to 15 days of arrest for an alleged violation of the regime of personal restraint, to three years of which he had been sentenced to putting a white-red-white flag atop the main New Year tree of Vitsebsk on 7 January 2010.

06.05.2011 Baranavichy: association of Ukrainians Kabzar is denied registration

The Brest justice board refused to register the Baranavichy civil association of Ukrainians Kabzar. On 5 May the Chair of the Kabzar's organizing committee, Mikalai Charanavus, received an appropriate letter, signed by the Chair of the main board, S.Kalinouski.

06.05.2011 Human Rights Center Viasna marsk 15th anniversary

The Human Rights Center Viasna turns fifteen years at the time of the ongoing political lynching of the regime's opponents. Human rights activists cannot think about celebration in such a situation. However, it is possible to lock back at what have been done and set the goals for the near future. This is done by Ales Bialiatski, Chair and founder of the Human Rights Center Viasna.

05.05.2011 Organizer of Stop Petrol-2 action fined

The Stop Petrol-2 action took place on 28 April at three Minsk motorway filling stations of the Belnaftakhim concern and at other motorway filling stations in more than ten towns and cities of Belarus.

05.05.2011 Incident at the trial of Vital Rymasheuski

The trial of the co-Chair of the organizing committee of the Belarusian Christian Democracy Vital Rymasheuski at the Frunzenski was marked with a rather unpleasant incident. Police major Maksim Hryshchanka clang to Tatsiana Seviarynets, the mother of another political prisoner, Pavel Seviarynets, and tried to tear down a white-red-white ribbon from her neck.

05.05.2011 Criminal persecution of participants of 19 December protest action: the trial of Daronin, Fedarkevich, Kazlou, Loban, Matsukevich and Sakret has started

The trial of Dzmitry Daronin, Aleh Fedarkevich, Siarhei Kazlou, Uladzimir Loban, Vital Matsukevich and Yauhen Sakret started at the Maskouski District Court of Minsk on 5 May. The defendants are accused of participation in mass disorders. Alena Shylko is the judge.

05.05.2011 Opposition activist Siarhei Lukin fled to Poland from frontier checkpoint

Belarusian oppositionist, activist of the electoral headquarters of Andrei Sannikau Aliaksandr Lukin and his wife fled to Poland on Wednesday after Belarusian border guards tried to detain them at the border checkpoint in the village of Slavatychy.

05.05.2011 Public utilities don’t agree to voluntary settlement with Belarusian Popular Front

As BelaPAN informs, on 4 May the public utility of the Savetski district of Minsk refused to sign a voluntary settlement with the public association BPF Adradzhenne in the Minsk Economic Court regarding leasing the organization’s central office. The central office of the BPF Adradzhenne public association, BPF party and their organizational structures has been located on Masherau Avenue, 8 (former Varvashenia Street) since 1993.

05.05.2011 Hlybokaye: democratic activist Yaraslau Bernikovich got fined

On 5 May the democratic activist Yaraslau Bernikovich was tried for “violation of the rules of holding and organizing mass actions” (Article 23.34 of the Code of Administrative Offences). The violation was that a tent was installed at the picket. The trial was lead by the Chair of the Hlybokaye District Court, Stanislau Trapuk. He fined the activist 700,000 rubles. Mr. Bernikovich admitted his guilt, but explained that he put the tent there because of bad weather.

Criminal persecution of participants of 19 December protest action: trial of Dzmitryieu, Fiaduta, Niakliayeu, Palazhanka, Rymasheuski and Vazniak has started

05.05.2011 Criminal persecution of participants of 19 December protest action: trial of Dzmitryieu, Fiaduta, Niakliayeu, Palazhanka, Rymasheuski and Vazniak has started

The trial of the criminal cases against Andrei Dzmitryieu, Aliaksandr Fiaduta, Uladzimir Niakliayeu, Anastasia Palazhanka, Vital Rymasheuski and Siarhei Vazniak has started today at the Frunzenski District Court of Minsk. All of them are charged with the organization and preparation of actions that grossly violate the public order, or active participation them (Article 342 of the Criminal Code, part 1), which envisages up to 3 years of imprisonment.

05.05.2011 Alik Mnatsnakyan and Viktoria Gromova deported from Belarus and banned entry for 2 years

Following theyesterday's detention at the Human Rights Center Viasna, officers of the migration service issued the Russian human rights defenders Alik Mnatsnakyan and Viktoryia Gromova with written prescriptions to leave the territory of Belarus within 24 hours. The detainees were also put on the list of the people who are banned entry to Belarus for two years.

Presentation of report on 19 December post-election protest disrupted: police burst at <em>Viasna's</em> office and detain 6 foreign nationals

05.05.2011 Presentation of report on 19 December post-election protest disrupted: police burst at Viasna's office and detain 6 foreign nationals

Many people wanted to hear the evaluation of the events of 19 December 2010 in Minsk. An appropriate presentation was to have taken place at 7 p.m. in the Minsk office of the Human Rights Center Viasna. However, 20 minutes before it, the office was ringed by the police.

05.05.2011 Trials for 19 December protest action: sentences to Drozd, Khamichenka, Kirkevich, Pratasenia and Vinahradau announced

The trials of Dzmitry Drozd, Uladzimir Khamichenka, Ales Kirkevich, Aliaksei Pratasenia and Pavel Vinahradau are coming to an end. On 4 May prosecutor Barouski demanded 4 years of imprisonment for Kirkevich and Vinahradau, 3.5 years – for Drozd and 3 years for Khamichenka and Pratasenia.

05.05.2011 Provocation against journalist Volha Klaskouskaya, sister of political prisoner Aliaksandr Klaskouski

Volha Klaskouskay was taken out of her house in the night time in handcuffs. The police beat hear and tore her blouse when she tried to defend herself. She was taken to the Leninski District Police Department of Minsk barefoot and was kept there till morning. Her relatives managed to pass her clothes and shoes only in the morning.

05.05.2011 Biaroza residents address Information Minister

Biaroza readers of the private socio-political editions Narodnaya Volia and Nasha Niva addressed the Information Minister, Aleh Praliaskouski, with the demand to revoke the lawsuit for the liquidation of the newspapers. They point that if the newspapers are closed down, their rights to receive all-sided and trustworthy information will be violated, and state that the people have the right to chose what to read.