The Human Rights Center “Viasna”

News for February 2012

13.02.2012 Three activists of “European Belarus” detained in Dziarzhynsk

The activists of the “European Belarus” Uladzimir Dzenisevich, Anatol Zhuletnikau and Aliaksandr Tarnahurski were detained at 1.30 p.m. on 11 February, while trying to hang out a streamer with the inscription “Freedom to Bialiatski!”.

13.02.2012 Siarhei Kavalenka’s life is in danger

The political prisoner’s health is in critical condition.

13.02.2012 Custom officers seize Andrei Bandarenka’s laptop

Andrei Bandarenka, the head of Platform organization was ordered to get off the train by customs officers when he was returning from Warsaw to Minsk on Sunday.

13.02.2012 Belarusian TV accuses Poland of organizing coup d’etat in Belarus

Belarus-1 TV channel showed one more “investigation” carried out by the TV Infoservice.

13.02.2012 Review-Chronicle of Human Rights Violations in Belarus in January 2012

In January the human rights situation in Belarus remained critical. 15 prisoners convicted for their political and social activities remained behind bars. The appellate court left in force the verdict to the head of the Human Rights Center "Viasna" Ales Bialiatski. It became known that torture and ill-treatment were used towards another political prisoner, former presidential candidate Andrei Sannikau, with the aim to make him apply to the head of the state for pardon. As a result, he filed such a petition. Political prisoners Mikalai Autukhovich and Mikalai Statkevich were tried for alleged violations of the prison regime. As a result, the conditions of their imprisonment were toughened.

10.02.2012 Belarusian awards: official becomes “man of the year” despite beating his subordinates

Director of the Mahiliou milk enterprise "Babushkina Krynka Ihar Kananchuk won the special prize of the Mahiliou Regional Executive Committee, "Man of the Year" in nomination "Industrial activity".

10.02.2012 Brest: sellers of lotteries are threatened with dismissal for spreading information about strike

The conflict between the administration of the National Sports Lotteries and the Brest sellers of the lotteries started when the latter ones were told they won't receive wage bonuses for working in winter time.

10.02.2012 UCP activist put on “prophylaxis register”

On 8 February youth activist of the United Civil Party Aliaksandr Stsepanenka received a telephone call from the Pershamaiski District Police Department of Minsk. He was proposed to come to the DPD to familiarize with the ruling according to which he was put on the prophylaxis register.

10.02.2012 Baranavichy: Mikalai Charnavus gets fined by court

On 10 February the Baranavichy City Court considered administrative case against the head of the steering committee of the Ukrainian diaspora association “Kobzar”, Mikalai Charnavus. Judge Stanislau Pivavarau summoned to the trial a representative of the Baranavichy City Executive Committee Siarhei Piatsihorau and police major Vital Dabrachynski.

10.02.2012 Constitutional court turns down appeal of death convict's mother

The answer from the Constitutional Court says only specially authorized bodies can appeal to the court.

10.02.2012 Ex-political prisoner Mirzayanau files individual communication with UN Human Rights Committee

According to the information provided by the web-site of the UCP, The Supreme Court declined the appeal against the sentence made by the first instance court and the cassation court. In the Supreme Court's opinion, Mirzayanau "foresaw the consequences dangerous for the society and wanted these consequences to happen".

09.02.2012 Mother and sister of death convict Kavaliou submit arguments to Belarus’ commentaries for UN Human Rights Committee

The mother of the death convict submitted their arguments to the commentaries provided to the UN Human Rights Committee by the Belarusian authorities in connection with the individual communication submitted to the organization on his behalf.

09.02.2012 Babruisk: procuracy refutes existence of “black lists”

In January Anatol Sanatsenka, chief editor of the private socio-political newspaper “Babruiski Kur’yer”, filed an appeal with the procuracy, in which he asked to explain the frequent visits of the police to local civil activists and the existence of the so-called “black list” of activists and journalists. He also stated that police officers posed threats to him in connection with his refusal to be fingerprinted.

09.02.2012 Baranavichy: city court sides with police

On 8 February the Court of Baranavichy City and District considered the criminal case against Aliaksandr Vaitseshyk. Judge N. Harbarchyk found him guilty under Article 364 for alleged infliction of bodily harm to a police officer and sentenced him to 18 months of conditional imprisonment.

09.02.2012 List of detainees of Litvins’ club

Late in the evening of 8 February 2012 all 32 people detained in the Protestant Church “Ian the Baptist” were released from the Maskouski District Police Department of Minsk. Among them there were three under-aged – Vitaut Siuchyk and his schoolmates Kasia and Maryna.