The Human Rights Center “Viasna”

News for September 2011

14.09.2011 Homel: democratic activists apply to UN

Homel-based democratic activists Vasil Paliakou and Anatol Paplauny appealed to the UN Human Rights Committee against violation of their rights by the Belarusian authorities.

14.09.2011 Maksim Hubarevich summonsed to confrontation once again

Maksim Hubarevich, Deputy Chair of the Hrodna city organization of the Belarusian Popular Front, is summonsed to another confrontation in Minsk, the third since the beginning of the investigation into the incident that had taken place near the new office of the BPF in Minsk on 13 August.

14.09.2011 Biaroza: administrative case against beaten woman is dropped

On 13 September the Biaroza District Court finished the consideration of the administrative case against Halina Kavalevich, Chair of the Biaroza district unit of the Conservative-Christian Party Belarusian Popular Front.

14.09.2011 Military procuracy casts a veil of secrecy over tortures in KGB prison

The Belarusian Helsinki Committee has received an answer to his request to hold a check-up concerning the statement of the former presidential candidate Andrei Sannikau about tortures in the remand prison of the KGB.

14.09.2011 Estonia urges Belarus to free political prisoners

Estonia expresses concern about human rights violations and the lack of democracy and rule of law in Belarus, Estonian Foreign Minister Urmas Paet said.

14.09.2011 Mahiliou: authorities ban action of solidarity with political prisoners

Representatives of the democratic movement in Mahilou failed to get permission to hold a rally to support political prisoners.

13.09.2011 “Ales Bialiatski’s Candle of Truth”

“Ales Bialiatski’s Candle of Truth” – a video with such a title has been uploaded today at the video portal YouTube. Friends, colleagues and well-known public figures of Belarus are trying to determine the role and the place of the prominent human rights defender in our society and express their attitude towards his prosecution and imprisonment.

13.09.2011 Ministry of Justice continues pressurization of lawyers

On 2 September Aliaksandr Pylchanka, Chair of the Minsk City Bar, made an application for the termination of his powers after the Ministry of Justice issued the proposal for the long-term revocation of the lawyer from this position. The discussion of this proposal and the lawyer’s application will take place at the general assembly of the Minsk City Bar on 24 September. It’s worth mentioning that it is not the first time the Ministry of Justice tries to pressurize the head of the Bar.

13.09.2011 Political prisoners are “offered” to ask for pardon

On 10 September Eduard Lobau, Fiodar Mirzayanau, Pavel Vinahradau and Aliaksandr Frantskevich were offered to apply to Lukashenka for pardon.

13.09.2011 Political prisoner Zmitser Dashkevich goes on hunger-strike

On 13 September Zmitser Dashkevich, a prominent political activist imprisoned for two years on fabricated charges, had a meeting with his lawyer in penal colony #9 in Horki. The lawyer came there to take part in the court proceedings concerning the change of the prison regime to Dashkevich to keeping in a closed prison.

13.09.2011 Baranavichy authorities ban picket in support of political prisoners

As it follows from a letter signed by Dz. Kastsiukevich, Deputy Chair of the Baranavichy City Executive Committee, on 13 September the committee prohibited civil activist Ryhor Hryk from holding a picket in support of political prisoners.

13.09.2011 Trade union activist Henadz Fiadynich detained by police

On 8 September Henadz Fiadynich, Chair of the Independent Trade Union of Radio Electronic Industry, was detained by the Salihorsk road police.

13.09.2011 Zmitser Shurkhai tried in absentia for picket in support of Zmitser Dashkevich

As it became known on 13 September, on 25 August Judge Chaplyhina had tried the Brest-based civil activist Zmitser Shurkhai in his absence. She found him guilty of participation in the picket in Horki and sentenced him to 10 days of arrest. The day he spent in the remand prison in Horki had been included in this term.

13.09.2011 Authorities refuse to mitigate punishment to Zmitser Bandarenka

The political prisoner remains in prison, though he has the right to softer punishment. Zmitser Bandarenka, the coordinator of European Belarus civil campaign, has the right to apply for changing his punishment since 20 August due to serving one third of his sentence. The case of the political prisoner was considered by the commission for release on parole and change of punishment.

13.09.2011 Anatol Liabedzka got detained at Domodedovo airport

The leader of the United Civil Party and former political prisoner Anatol Liabedzka was detained in the Moscow airport Domodedovo on his way to Washington. He managed to inform the Russian politician Leonid Gozman about it.