The Human Rights Center “Viasna”

News for 2 Nov 2011

02.11.2011 Trial of Belarus Human Rights Defender Ales Bialiatski Opens Today

Front Line Defenders Deputy Director Unable to Enter Country to Visit Other HRDs

02.11.2011 BELARUS: The authorities deny visas to FIDH President and Honorary President to attend Ales Bialiatski's trial

Paris-Geneva, Paris, November 2, 2011 - The Observatory for the Protection of Human Rights Defenders, a joint programme of the FIDH and the World Organisation Against Torture (OMCT) strongly condemn the refusal by the authorities of Belarus to grant FIDH President, Souhayr Belhassen, and Honorary President, Patrick Baudouin, visas to observe the trial of FIDH Vice-President, Ales Bialiatski, who is held in pre-trial detention since August 4, 2011 on charges of “serious tax evasion”.

02.11.2011 Nasta Palazhanka is banned to go abroad

On 2 November Nasta Palazhanka, Deputy Chairwoman of the “Young Front”, was summonsed to the police without explanation of the reasons.

02.11.2011 Babruisk: Kanstantsin Loktseu to be tried

Kanstantsin Loktseu, Chairman of the organizing committee of the People’s Assembly which had taken place in Babruisk on 8 October, was interrogated at the Babruisk City Police Department.

02.11.2011 Vitsebsk: Tatsiana Seviarynets is warned

On 12 November civil and political activists of Vitsebsk intend to hold an assembly of the Vitsebsk residents who set forth their demands at the People’s Assembly on 8 October.

02.11.2011 Photo fact: Ales Bialiatski’s chair at press-conference in New York

The organizers of the press-conference of the Observatory for the Protection of Human Rights Defenders which took place in New-York on 24 October, put an empty chair in the presidium, which symbolized the presence of Ales Bialiatski at the event.

02.11.2011 Trial of Ales Bialiatski (updated)

Extraordinary precautions have been used since 9 a.m. near the building of the Maskouski District Court of Minsk. Special police forces and several cars of the road police arrived. Private parking spaces were fenced with protective police tapes. The people who wanted to attend the trial started gathering at the entrance. At 9.30 a.m. Ales Bialiatski was guarded to the court.