The Human Rights Center “Viasna”

News for June 2011

13.06.2011 Ales Kirkevich's correspondence detained by prison administration

The Hrodna resident Ales Kirkevich, convicted for 4 years for participation in the so-called “mass riot” on 19 December 2010 in Minsk, is still kept in the pre-trial prison in Valadarski Street in Minsk.

Spontaneous protest of drivers at <em>Bruzgi</em> border crossing point

13.06.2011 Spontaneous protest of drivers at Bruzgi border crossing point

The spontaneous rally of protest against a new customs fee took place on 12 June evening at the border crossing point Bruzgi in the Hrodna region. The action was dispersed by the riot police with the use of tear gas and police gear. 15 protesters were detained.

13.06.2011 Bulanau, Klaskouski, Statkevich and Uss transferred to penal colony

Aliaksandr Klasksouski, convicted in the mass riots case, was sent to the penal colony in the town of Shklou on 11 June.

13.06.2011 Political prisoner Bandarenka suffers still hasn't been given due medical aid despite serious health problems

Mr. Bandarenka is in a detention facility of the Interior Ministry hanging between life and death.

10.06.2011 Minsk: police detained journalist with a metal detector

Journalist Aliaksandr Acharetny was detained in the Minsk metro. According to him, the police attention was attracted not only by the T-shirt with the image of the Chechen leader Kadyrov, but also with the metal detector he was carrying in a box.

10.06.2011 Political prisoner Dashkevich transferred to Zhodzina jail

The Young Front vice-Chairperson Nasta Palazhanka informed about the transfer on June 9. According to te "Young Front press-center, the girl tried to pass a parcel to Dashkevich to the pre-trial detention center No. 1 in Valadarski Street. However, the guard on duty informed her he had been sent to Zhodzina prison.

10.06.2011 Censorship detains letters of political prisoner Fiodar Mirzayanau

The mother and friends of Fiodar Mirzayanau, convicted for participation in the rally against the rigged presidential election held in central Minsk on 19 December 2010, haven't received letters from him for 10 days already, though they are sure that he regularly writes to them.

10.06.2011 Homel: opposition activists apply for authorization rally against poverty

Representatives of the Homel coalition Our Alternative applied for authorization of a rally against poverty on 3 July. Earlier they also applied for a picket in cooperation with the Young Front and the civil campaign Speak Truth.

FIDH and <em>Viasna</em> demand to stop cruel treatment and torture of Mikita Likhavid

09.06.2011 FIDH and Viasna demand to stop cruel treatment and torture of Mikita Likhavid

The International Federation for Human Rights (FIDH) and the Human Rights Centre Viasna demand to stop cruel treatment and torture of political prisoner Mikita Likhavid

09.06.2011 Golden Lion denied registration again

The Hrodna Region Court didn't grant the appeal of the organization founders against the registration denial by the Hrodna Region Justice Department. The court explained it by referring to the absence of the description of the procedure of appealing against decisions of the governing structures of the NGO in its charter.

09.06.2011 Biaroza: the only Belarusian-language form closed down

The only form with the Belarusian language of instruction was closed down in secondary school #2 after four years of work. The form was established after Aleh Labovich, engineer of one of Biaroza enterprises, spent a year on correspondence with different scientific and educational institutions. 16 parents also signed for the establishment of the form.

09.06.2011 “Revolutions through social networks” held in Homel, Salihorsk, Mazyr and Babruisk

In Homel the protest action took place at the central square of the city at 7 p.m. on 8 June. More than 100 people answered the appeal of the Revolution through social network community in the social network Vkontakte by coming to the action. The majority of the action participants were youngsters, but there were also some elderly people. Following the conditions of the action the people brought no symbols and chanted no slogans. They just stood peacefully, talking to one another. The police didn't come to the action.

09.06.2011 Criminal case on mass riot: 7 accused, 13 suspects and 31 convicts (updated on 6 June)

According to information of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of 5 April, the preliminary investigation into the criminal case on the "mass riot" came to an end. Ten figurants received new, milder charges - under Article 342, part 1 (organization and preparation of actions that grossly violate the public order). All of them were tried under this article and received different penalties: 1 – personal restraint (P.Seviarynets), 6 – imprisonment with determent, 6 – conditional imprisonment and 1 – 2 years of imprisonment (Dz.Bandarenka).

08.06.2011 Brest: Internet activist mother summonsed to KGB after his detention

Civil activist Ivan Stasiuk informed Euroradio about this. According to him, unknown people brought a writ to her at about 12 a.m.

08.06.2011 Minsk: trial of detained participants of Stop Petrol! action

Participants of the drivers’ protest action are standing trial at the Tsentralny District Court of Minsk. One of the detained, Pavel Hruzdzilovich, informed about it by SMS. He didn’t specify how many detained will be there, informs Radio Liberty.