The Human Rights Center “Viasna”

News for August 2011

12.08.2011 MEP Migalski: decision by Polish official undermines idea of solidarity

“The Belarusians are fighting for democracy just like the Poles did in the 20th century. The decision by a Polish official undermines the idea of solidarity”, Marek Migalski, member of the European Parliament and deputy chair of the EP’s delegation on Belarus-EU relations, said during a press-conference on Ales Bialiatski’s arrest.

12.08.2011 Lukashenka pardons at least 4 mass riot case convicts

On 11 August, Belarusian President Aliaksandr Lukashenka granted pardon to at least 4 persons convicted for alleged involvement in the 19 December 2010 mass riot.

12.08.2011 Ales Bialiatski officially charged

On 12 August, Ales Bialiatski, chair of the Human Rights Center "Viasna" and Vice-President of the International Federation for Human Rights, has been officially charged under Par. 2 Art. 243 of the Criminal Code ("concealment of profits on an especially large scale”).

12.08.2011 FIDH President addresses Lithuanian Prime Minister on Bialiatski's case

The Observatory for the Protection of Human Rights Defenders, a joint programme of the International Federation for Human Rights (FIDH) and the World Organisation Against Torture (OMCT), condemns the ongoing arbitrary detention of Mr. Ales Bialatski, FIDH Vice-President and President of the Belarusian Human Rights Centre "Viasna".

12.08.2011 Observatory for the Protection of Human Rights Defenders addresses Belarusian authorites on Bialiatski's arrest

The Observatory for the Protection of Human Rights Defenders, a joint programme of the International Federation for Human Rights (FIDH) and the World Organisation Against Torture (OMCT), has received new information and requests your intervention in the following situation in Belarus.

12.08.2011 Belarus must free activist held on tax evasion charges

The Belarusian authorities must release a prominent human rights activist, whose pre-trial detention on charges of "serious tax evasion" is believed to be politically motivated.

German Ambassador paid a visit to HRC <em>Viasna</em>

11.08.2011 German Ambassador paid a visit to HRC Viasna

On 11 August, Christof Weil, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of Germany to Belarus, paid a visit to the office of the Human Rights Center Viasna. He said words of support to the family and friends of Ales Bialiatski, as well as to his colleagues from the Human Rights Center Viasna.

11.08.2011 Russian human rights organization Memorial expresses support to Ales Bialiatski

Cooperating with the Belarusian Human Rights Center Viasna For 15 years, we know our colleagues and partners, human rights activists from this organization as outstanding, courageous, honest professionals and highly appreciate the head of the center Ales Bialiatski. We understand that in the atmosphere of political non-freedom and repression for any kind of criticism the persecution of Ales Bialiatski can’t but be politically motivated. The criminal charges against him are fabricated in order to stop the unwanted professional activities of the human rights defender.

11.08.2011 Nobel Prize holder Shirin Ebadi joins campaign of support to Ales Bialiatski

On 10 August well-known Iranian human rights activist and lawyer Shirin Ebadi, awarded Nobel Peace Prize in 2003, joined the campaign in support of Ales Bialiatski, launched by the International Federation for Human Rights (FIDH) in cooperation with the Human Rights Centre Viasna.

11.08.2011 Belarusian PEN-Center supports Ales Bialiatski

The statement that was issued by the council of the Belarusian PEN-Center on 10 August, reads: “Ales Bialiatski is an outstanding public figure, one of the founders of the literary association Tuteishyia and a member of the Belarusian PEN-Center. The civil association Human Rights Center Viasna, established by him in 1996, has defended the values set out in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and the Constitution of the Republic of Belarus since the very beginning, supporting the people who were arrested during mass protests and their families.

11.08.2011 Ruling about fine to human rights defender Sviatlana Rudkouskaya left standing

On 1 August the administrative case against a member of the Belarusian Helsinki Committee Sviatlana Rudkouskaya was reviewed without her participation. The new ruling, signed by the Deputy Chair of the Leninski District Police Department of Hrodna Vital Stasiukevich was copied from the earlier one.

11.08.2011 Police gathers information about Vital Rymasheuski’s relatives

Co-Chair of the organizing committee of the BCD Vital Rymasheuski, sentenced to 2 years of conditional imprisonment for participation in the peaceful action of protest held on 19 December 2010, came to the Frunzenski District Police Department in Minsk for registration.

11.08.2011 Dashkevich’s lawyer was again denied meeting with his client

On 11 August the lawyer again tried to meet with the political prisoner Zmitser Dashkevich in penal colony #9 in Horki. However, the administration didn’t allow him to do it referring to “duty necessity”.

11.08.2011 Supreme Economic Court turned down appeal of Belarusian Popular Front

On 11 August the cassation panel of judges of the Supreme Economic Court of Belarus considered the appeal of the Belarusian Popular Front Party against its eviction from the office in Masherau Street 8, which its has occupied since 1992.

11.08.2011 Biaroza: human rights defenders intend to hold a picket in support of Ales Bialiatski

Human rights defenders addressed the Biaroza District Executive Committee asking to permit them holding a picket at 6-7 p.m. on 24 August 2011 in the officially allowed place, the town stadium.