The Human Rights Center “Viasna”

News for March 2012

17.03.2012 Uladzislau Kavaliou and Dzmitry Kanavalau executed

Uladzislau Kavaliou, convicted of involvement in the plotting of a terrorist act in Minsk metro on 11 April, 2011, has been executed, says an official communication issued by the Supreme Court of Belarus dated 16 March.

17.03.2012 Activist detained in protest outside China embassy

Yauhen Kontush, activist of the Belarusian National Bolsheviks movement, was detained by police during a protest staged outside the Chinese embassy in Minsk on 16 March.

17.03.2012 Activist gets 10 days of arrest for ‘garbage heap of history’ action

On 16 March, Minsk Savetski District Court sentenced activist of the Zmena youth opposition movement Uladzimir Bachyla to ten days of administrative arrest for alleged staging an action called “A Garbage Heap of History” in central Minsk back on 14 March.

16.03.2012 Front Line Defenders urges Belarus authorities to lift travel ban on human rights defenders

Over the past number of days, in a flagrant denial of their right to freedom of movement, several Belarusian human rights defenders have been stopped by border guards while they were leaving Belarus, along with numerous political activists and journalists.

16.03.2012 Citizens campaign for secret vote procedures at Supreme Court

Over 250 appeals by Belarusian citizens have been submitted to the Presidential Administration and the office of Chairman of the Supreme Court, demanding to introduce secret voting at the Court’s sittings, says lawyer Mrs. Tamara Siarhei, leader of a civil initiative against unlawfulness in courts and prosecuting authorities.

16.03.2012 Ministry of Education: warnings to students “contribute to the exercise of right to education”

Aliaksandr Saldatsenka, activist of the European Belarus opposition movement expelled from Minsk State Linguistic University for involvement in rallies of solidarity with political prisoners, has received replies from the Ministry of Education and Minsk Partyzanski District Prosecutor’s Office concerning a warning issued by the University rector Mrs. Natallia Baranava.

16.03.2012 Vileika Council member faces picket ban

Member of Vileika District Council Iosif Matsiun will not be able to hold a picket against violations of his Constitutional rights, after his application was dismissed by local executive authorities, www.vialeika.org reports.

16.03.2012 UN Human Rights Committee registers complaint by Barysau picketer

Barysau human rights defender Aleh Matskevich has received a reply from the UN Human Rights Committee saying that his complaint against several picket bans imposed by the town authorities has been registered by the Committee.

16.03.2012 Lawyer says that he will file final appeal against death sentence on Uladzislaw Kavalyow after meeting with him

Uladzislaw Kavalyow’s lawyer filed an appeal with the Supreme Court on Thursday, asking it to revoke the death sentence imposed on the young man in the subway bombing case last year.

16.03.2012 Human rights mission calls on Belarusian authorities to provide explanations regarding foreign travel ban list

The Observation Mission of the International Committee for Monitoring the Human Rights Situation in Belarus has called on the Belarusian authorities to provide explanations regarding their list of dissidents banned from foreign trips.

16.03.2012 The Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) has expressed outrage at a foreign travel ban imposed by the Belarusian authorities on at least four independent journalists

The Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) has expressed outrage at a foreign travel ban imposed by the Belarusian authorities on at least four independent journalists.

16.03.2012 Belarus Bomber’s Mother Asks President To Postpone Execution

MINSK – The mother of one of the men sentenced to death for the bombing of a metro station in the Belarusian capital, Minsk, that killed 15 people has asked President Alyaksandr Lukashenka to postpone her son’s execution for at least one year.

16.03.2012 Mikalai Dzyadok thrown into punishment cell

The parents of Mikalai Dzyadok were told in penal colony No. 15 that the political prisoner has been thrown into a punishment cell for 5 days.

16.03.2012 Harry Pahanyaila added to list of “travel banned”

The lawyer of the Belarusian Helsinki Committee (BHC) was told the reason for the travel ban was a trial. But there was not any trial in reality.

15.03.2012 Human rights defenders stand for immediate introduction of a moratorium on the death penalty in Belarus

On 14 March 2012 Belarusian mass media published the information that Aliaksandr Lukashenka refused to pardon Uladzislau Kavaliou and Dzmitry Kanavalau.