The Human Rights Center “Viasna”

News for February 2012

07.02.2012 Authorities object to UN committee considering complaint from Kavalyow's family

The Belarusian government believes that the consideration by the UN Human Rights Committee of a complaint sent by Uladzislaw Kavalyow's family would be unacceptable as not all domestic remedies have been exhausted, Lyubow Kavalyow, mother of the death row inmate, told BelaPAN.

06.02.2012 “Viasna”: six months without Ales Bialiatski

The Human Rights Center "Spring" has been working without its leader, Ales Bialiatski, for six months already. The human rights activist was detained on 4 August 2011, and sentenced to 4.5 years in maximum security colony with confiscation of property on 24 November.

06.02.2012 Action in Prague: human rights evicted

In the morning of 6 February cars with furniture and slogans: “Human rights got evicted” appeared near the entrance of the Belarusian Embassy in the Czech Republic, marking the start of an action in support of human rights defender Ales Bialiatski and the Human Rights Center “Viasna”.

06.02.2012 Baranavichy: entrepreneur Charnavus opposes unlawful actions of market administration

Baranavichy-based individual entrepreneur Mikalai Charnavus (in the photo) filed appeals with the General Prosecutor, the Presidential Adiministration and the Brest Regional Procuracy. He asks the state bodies to declare invalid the results of the re-election of the Council of entrepreneurs at the city market, held by the Baranavichy City Executive Committee and the district cooperative society.

06.02.2012 Aliaksandr Kruty states that his daughter still hasn't received compensation

Minsk citizen Aliaksandr Kruty, who is kept in the pre-trial prison in Valadarski Street, awaiting the direction for forced psychiatric treatment, imposed by a court verdict, sent a letter to the Homel-based activist of the coalition “Our Alternative” Kanstantsin Zhukouski.

06.02.2012 Action in support of political prisoners held in New-York

A picket in support of Belarusian political prisoners was held on 4 February near the UN headquarters in New-York. The picket participants held portraits of Zmitser Bandarenka, Ales Bialiatski, Andrei Sannikau and Mikalai Statkevich in their hands. The action was organized by the Belarusian-American Association “Pahonia”.

06.02.2012 Zmitser Bandarenka applies for pardon

The political prisoner, who was denied parole in spite of serious problems with health, applied for a pardon on 1 February. Zmitser Bandarenka said this to his wife on the phone on 4 February.

03.02.2012 Babruisk: Kanstantsin Loktseu's boss collects signatures for his dismissal

This autumn Mr. Loktseu was punished with arrest for the organization of a People's Assembky in Babruisk. After this he started facing trouble at work, especially after his brass was visited by the KGB. The administration lost its patience after he tried to establish a primary unit of the Independent Trade Union of Radio Electronic Industry at work.

03.02.2012 Mahiliou: members of building trust #12 intimidated by strange commission

Officers of the Mahiliou City Executive Committee pay visits to the dwellers of hostel in Budaunikou Street 7 who signed the appeal of civil activist Aliaksei Paulouski, threatening them with negative consequences.

03.02.2012 Soviet of the Republic: Article 193-1 “protects universally accepted human rights and fundamental freedoms”

The Soviet of the Republic sees no need to initiate the abolishment of Article 193-1 of the Criminal Code of the Republic of Belarus, which penalizes activities on behalf of organizations that are not registered with the state.

03.02.2012 Minsk City Court to consider Stefanovich's appeal on 13 February

The cassation appeal of Valiantsin Stefanovich against the ruling concerning the exaction of the allegedly non-paid taxes from him will be considered by the Minsk City Court on 13 February. The hearings start at 3 p.m.

03.02.2012 Supreme Court upholds verdict to Sannikau

The appeal against the ruling of the Partyzanski district court of Minsk filed by lawyers of presidential candidate Andrei Sannikau was dismissed.

02.02.2012 Uladzislau Kavaliou’s mother applies to Constitutional Court

According to Liubou Kavaliova, mother of the death convict Uladzislau Kavaliou found guilty of the terrorist act in the Minsk metro, on 1 February she filed an appeal with the Constitutional Court, asking to find unlawful some norms of the Belarusian criminal process legislation.

02.02.2012 Vitsebsk: wife received letter from Siarhei Kavalenka with two-week delay

In the Vitsebsk pre-trial prison Alena Kavalenka was assured that there were no delays with the sending of letters and they were checked within the legally allowed term, three days. However, on 1 February she received a letter dated 17 January. In this letter the hunger-striker Siarhei Kavalenka wrote that he was subject to forced feeding.

02.02.2012 Salihorsk authorities continue banning street actions

The Salihorsk authorities have recently banned six events organized by the local civil and political activists. The formal reason in all cases is alleged violation of Article 8 of the Law “On Mass Events” - placement of information about the actions on the web before their authorization.