The Human Rights Center “Viasna”

News for March 2012

14.03.2012 Human rights defender demands to change restraint to Siarhei Kavalenka

Pavel Levinau has filed the ninth appeal with Judge of the Pershamaiski District Court of Vitsebsk Alena Zhuk who had sentenced Siarhei Kavalenka to 2 years and 1 months of imprisonment on 24 February 2011. The judge has the right to change restraint to the prisoner till the enforcement of the verdict.

14.03.2012 Vitsebsk: Siarhei Kavalenka’s wife and 7-month-old daughter get detained

Alena Kavalenka, her 7-month-old daughter and a number of Kavalenka’s friends were detained for holding an action of solidarity with the political prisoner. Siarhei Parsiukevich told about the detention by telephone.

14.03.2012 Siarhei Shupa denied entrance to Belarus

Journalist of the Belarusian service of Radio Liberty Siarhei Shupa was denied in receiving a Belarusian visa. Today the journalist, who lives in Prague, received his passport from the Belarusian consulate with the “denied” seal.

14.03.2012 15 pickets banned in Brest district

On 16 March activists of the Belarusian Leftist Party "Fair World" intended to hold actions in 14 villages and the town of Damachava to express their protest against the ongoing increase of prices on foodstuffs and public utilities, which had an especially negative impact on the economical situation of pensioners and families with many children.

14.03.2012 Head of independent trade-union organization at "Granit" plant appeals against his dismissal

Aleh Stakhayevich, elected chairman of the newly established trade union organization at the "Granit" enterprise in Mikashevichy, filed an appeal with the Luninets District Court to get rehabilitated at work.

14.03.2012 Vitsebsk: police detain Barys Khamaida

The detention was conducted by lieutenant-colonel Katovich, the head of the public security department of the Chyhunachny DPD near house #28 in Lenin Street, where the oppositionist distributes independent press every day. Another police officer shot the detention on video.

14.03.2012 Hunger-strike of prisoners in Minsk

Human rights defenders from the "Platform" association obtained a copy of the address of 14 prisoners of the Minsk pre-trial prison.

14.03.2012 Viktar Karniayenka applies to state agencies in connection with foreign travel restrictions

Mr. Karniayenka has applied to the General Procuracy, the Border Committee and the Citizenship and Migration Department. He did it on advice of the Belarusian Helsinki Committee instead of applying just to the latter agency.

14.03.2012 Pavel Vinahradau sentenced to another 7-day arrest

The Maskouski district court resumed hearing of Pavel Vinahradau's administrative case on 13 March.

14.03.2012 Andrei Dynko not let abroad

“Nasha Niva” managing editor was ordered to get off the train on the border on his way from Minsk to Vilnius.

14.03.2012 Another worker fired from “Granit”

Mikalai Karyshau, a deputy head of the trade union branch on Mikashevichy-based “Granit” plant, was told in the personnel department a labour contract would not be prolonged with him, RFE/RL reports.

13.03.2012 Mikalai Ulasevich gets no compensation of court expenditures

On 12 March the civil cases board of the Hrodna Regional Court considered two private appeals against the rulings of the Ashmiany District Court concerning Mikalai Ulasevich’s case. On of the appeals was filed by Mr. Ulasevich, the other – by his representative, member of the Belarusian Helsinki Committee Hary Pahaniaila. The first appeal concerned the refusal of the Ashmiany District Court to issue additional ruling concerning the court expenditures.

13.03.2012 Barysau district: villagers collect signatures against construction of garbage-processing plant

Citizens of the villages Pchelnik, Stara-Barysau and the agrarian settlement Dziamidauka disagree with the authorities' intention to construct the plant close to their homes athwart the initially published plans.

13.03.2012 Brest officials are recommended to oppose "forced Belarusification"

Private socio-political weekly "Nasha Niva" received obtained a document signed by the deputy head of the administrative department of the Brest Regional Executive Committee, the head of the department of organizational and office work Volha Klimakhovich.

13.03.2012 Only relatives receive letters from Yauhen Vaskovich

During the last months friends and colleagues of political prisoner Yauhen Vaskovih haven't received any letters from them. Only his relatives receive some neutral letters without any complaints.