The Human Rights Center “Viasna”

News for January 2012

13.01.2012 Political prisoner Autukhovich taken to medical unit

Mikalai Autukhovich has been taken to the prison medical unit for unknown reasons. Autukhovich is to stand trial on 17 January to change confinement conditions for him. The colony administration says he does not want to mend his way.

13.01.2012 Raman Pratasevich interrogated by KGB again

Raman Pratasevich was questioned by KGB and threatened with applying pressure on his parents and relatives. Provocations against the activists were continued by pro-governmental news websites, Radio “Racyja” reports.

13.01.2012 Does US support in Uzbekistan what it can't accept in Belarus?

Last week, President Obama signed into law a bill that expands sanctions against Belarus, whose authoritarian leader Aleksandr Lukashenko continues to imprison his opponents and critics. Lukashenko unleashed the latest crackdown hours after the flawed December 2010 presidential vote, which declared him winner of a fourth term. Repression in Belarus is ongoing. Last week, authorities further tightened their grip on the media by restricting access to blacklisted websites. On Monday, a district court in Minsk jailed an independent reporter for filming a one-man protest vigil in front of the KGB headquarters.

12.01.2012 Court turns down appeal of Uladzimir Marozau against smothering by police

On 12 January the Pershamaiski District Court of Minsk considered the appeal of disabled Uladzimir Marozau against the refusal of the Pershamaiski District Procuracy of Minsk to instigate a criminal case against the policemen who had smothered the man during a peaceful protest action.

12.01.2012 Homel: court upholds picket ban

On 12 January Siarhei Shytsikau, Judge of the Tsentralny District Court of Homel, turned down the appeal of the Homel human rights defenders Anatol Paplauny and Leanid Sudalenka against the refusal of the Homel City Executive Committee to authorize their picket, dated to the Human Rights Day, 10 December.

12.01.2012 Homel: detention of Vasil Paliakou and Uladzimir Niapomniashchykh

The head of the Homel regional organization of the United Civil Party Vasil Paliakou and its activist Uladzimir Niapomniashchykh were detained by riot police at about 3.50 p.m. near the Central market, while handing out the party bulletin “Holas Rozumu” (“Voice of Reason”).

12.01.2012 Supreme Court started consideration of anarchists' appeals

The Supreme Court started the consideration of the appeals filed by Ihar Alinevich, Mikalai Dziadok and Aliaksandr Frantskevich, activists of anarchist movement who had been convicted for political reasons.

12.01.2012 Ministry of Justice freezes registration of Belarusian Christian Democracy

On 11 January the Belarusian Christian Democracy received a letter from the Ministry of Justice, in which it was stated that the ministry suspended the process of registration of the party.

12.01.2012 Vitsebsk: Siarhei Kavalenka placed into isolation ward

As the mother of the political prisoner from Vitsebsk, Siarhei Kavalenka who is on a hunger strike for 24 days, has found out, he was placed in an isolation ward a week ago.

12.01.2012 Ex-political prisoner Yaromenak expelled from university

“Young Front” activist Uladzimir Yaromenak has learned about his expulsion from the university after serving 15-day arrest for an action of solidarity near the Read Church on 19 December. The guy received a telephone call from the university and was told he could take back his documents.

12.01.2012 Court transfers political prisoner Statkevich to prison for three years

On 12 January the former presidential candidate stood trial in a penal colony in Shklou.

11.01.2012 Babruisk: Anatol Sanatsenka appeals against unlawful visits of police

Anatol Sanatsenka, chief editor of the “Babruiski Kur’er” newspaper, applied to the procuracy with the request to explain the reasons why police officers paid visits to the houses of local journalists and civil activists.

11.01.2012 Mikalai Ulasevich sentenced to pay 1 million rubles as compensation for moral harm

Such a decision was handed down on 10 January by the Ashmyany District Court at the request of the entrepreneur Andrei Dziadkou, who accused anti-nuclear activist Mikalai Ulasevich of disseminating false information insulting his honor and dignity.

11.01.2012 “Viasna” demands immediate release of Siarhei Kavalenka from jail

The Human Rights Center "Viasna" calls on the Belarusian authorities to immediately stop the persecution of the activist of the Conservative-Christian Party “Belarusian Popular Front” Siarhei Kavalenka.

11.01.2012 Procuracy conceals systemic ill-treatment of political prisoner Autukhovich

The Brest Region Procuracy refused to instigate a criminal case over ill-treatment of Mikalai Autukhovich. Investigators say “it was impossible” to reveal the facts of systematic ill-treatment of Autukhovich or encouraging him to commit suicide by the penal colony authorities.