The Human Rights Center “Viasna”

News for April 2012

19.04.2012 Former presidential candidate Uss threatened with criminal prosecution for calls for EU sanctions

The Prosecutor General's Office has threatened Dzmitry Uss (Vus), an opposition candidate in Belarus' 2010 presidential election, with criminal prosecution if he continues to call on the European Union to impose economic sanctions against Belarus, BelaPAN said.

19.04.2012 Girlfriend of Revolution through Social Networks coordinator fined on disorderly conduct charges

Minsk Maskouski District Court has fined Marharyta Lavyshyk, girlfriend of Viachalsau Dziyanau, coordinator of the Revolution through Social Networks online campaign, BYR 1.5 mln for alleged violation of Art. 17.1 of the Administrative Code (disorderly conduct).

18.04.2012 Brest court upholds picket ban

Brest Leninski District Court has upheld a ban on a picket applied for by local human rights defender Uladzimir Vialichkin.

18.04.2012 Russian human rights defender Gefter: It is absolutely intolerable to prevent citizens from going abroad without good grounds

“People cannot be restricted in their right to travel abroad, expect for the cases when the decision has been enforced by a court,’ says Valentin Gefter, Director of the Institute of Human Rights, Member of the Presidential Council for the Promotion of Civil Society and Human Rights, in his interview with the web-site of the Human Rights Center “Viasna”.

18.04.2012 Minsk activist Marharyta Lavyshyk detained

Marharyta Lavyshyk, coordinator of the “Revolution through Social Network” campaign, has been detained by Minsk police at her apartment this afternoon, Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty reports.

18.04.2012 Appeals by “travel banned” politicians dismissed

The Court of the Vitebsk Region upheld verdicts against Lyabedzka, Kalyakin and Atroshchankau.

18.04.2012 Syarhey Kavalenka receives no medical attention, wife says

Doctors at the Navinki psychiatric hospital are doing nothing to help Syarhey Kavalenka recover after his debilitating hunger strike, the wife of the 37-year-old opposition activist told BelaPAN on Tuesday.

18.04.2012 Valiantsin Stefanovich: there are legal grounds for Ales Bialiatski’s release without petition for pardon

Legal acts provide for several possible ways to obtain the release of Ales Bialiatski, says Viasna deputy chairman Valiantsin Stefanovich in his interview with the Nasha Niva weekly. It is possible even if he does not sign a petition for pardon, says the human rights defender.

18.04.2012 U.S. Helsinki Commission calls for increased efforts to secure release of other political prisoners

“The release of political prisoners Andrei Sannikau and Zmitser Bandarenka, following 16 months of incarceration, is a step in the right direction. The Government of Belarus must take the next step and immediately and unconditionally release all of the remaining political prisoners, including Mikalai Statkevich, Ales Bialiatski, Syarhei Kavalenka, Zmitser Dashkevich, Pavel Seviarynets, Mikalai Autukhovich, Eduard Lobau, Mikalai Dziadok and others, and guarantee the full restoration of their civil and political rights," said Representative Chris Smith, Chairman of the U.S. Helsinki Commission.

17.04.2012 Sannikau’s conviction to be preserved for 8 years

However, he is not forbidden to go abroad. The politician and ex-political prisoner has informed about it at a press conference in Minsk today.

17.04.2012 U.S. Credits Minsk For Releasing Political Prisoners

The U.S. government has called Belarus’s decision to release a former presidential candidate and his campaign manager from prison “a significant step,” but also called on Minsk to immediately release all remaining political prisoners it is holding.

17.04.2012 Mikalai Autukhovich has serious health problems

Back pain is caused by kidney problems, and also by a cold the political prisoner had caught while he was in the punitive isolation ward.

17.04.2012 UN Human Rights Committee registers complaint by Homel activist

The UN Human Rights Committee has registered a complaint submitted by Homel civil activist Mrs. Zinaida Shumilina, contesting a number of bans on holding pickets in support of former presidential candidates and their families.

17.04.2012 Salihorsk prosecuting authorities ignore illegal restrictions on freedom of peaceful assembly

Salihorsk Prosecutor’s Office has ruled not to consider a complaint lodged by local civil activist Uladzimir Shyla, following several months of his fruitless struggle for holding a mass event in the town.

17.04.2012 Hrodna opposition activists sue local executive officials over Freedom Day meeting ban

Hrodna civil activists Yury Istomin, Uladzimir Khilmanovich and Vadzim Saranchukou have lodged a lawsuit with Leninski District Court against a ban on holding a meeting marking the Freedom Day issued by the city’s executive committee on 19 March.