The Human Rights Center “Viasna”

News for May 2012

04.05.2012 “Viasna” writes contemporary history

The 16th anniversary of the Human Rights Center “Viasna” was marked by the presentation of two books: a photo album "For Right to Elect: Portraits of Convicts. Square-2010" and the book of interviews “Our Viasna. History in Faces".

04.05.2012 Martin Uggla denied Belarusian visa again

The chairman of a Swedish human rights initiative Östgruppen Martin Uggla has been denied an entry visa to Belarus.

04.05.2012 Brest: police disperse international anarchist congress

Police detained 11 participants of an international anarchist forum. Anarchists organized an international congress in Brest. Over 150 people from Russia, Ukraine, Poland and Belarus gathered at “Krasny Dvor” recreation centre on the outskirts of Brest.

03.05.2012 Communists vs. "Young Front": continuation of court proceedings

On 3 May the trial of the "Young Front" activists Mikhail Muski, Pavel Siarhei and Raman Vasiliieu, detained for throwing eggs at the monument to Lenin in Minsk, continued at the Maskouski District Court of Minsk

03.05.2012 Siarhei Kavalenka sent back to prison

Political prisoner Siarhei Kavalenka has left the guarded department of Navinki psychiatric hospital. Radio "Racyja" leanred the news from his wife Alena. Mr. Kavalenka was taken to the detention facility in Valadarski Street in Minsk.

03.05.2012 Search and confiscation at Radio "Racyja" Minsk office

On 2 May police visited flats situated near Peramoha Square, where a parade of 9 May rehearsal is to be held. Policemen visited the head office of Radio Racyja in Minsk at about 8.30 p.m., Radio "Racyja" informs.

02.05.2012 Valiantsin Stefanovich still receives runarounds concerning unlawful foreign travel restrictions

The date of the consideration of the appeal of the human rights defender Valiantsin Stefanovich against the unlawful foreign travel restrictions still hasn't been appointed, though the legal term for the consideration of the appeal ended on 26 April. The chancellery of the Tsentralny District Court of Minsk doesn't give any distinct answers. Moreover, the same happened to the analogical appeals of the Chairman of the Belarusian Helsinki Committee Aleh Hulak and the head of the United Civil Party Anatol Liabezka. All these appeals were to have been considered by Judge Alena Semak.

02.05.2012 Police don't hurry to return Vadzim Kabanchuk's car

Minsk police still haven't returned the car to the member of the steering committee of the Belarusian Christian Democracy Vadzim Kabanchuk. The car had been detained on the eve of the Freedom Day action, on 25 March. Some printed materials and a streamer were confiscated as a result.

02.05.2012 Klimavichy police have enough time for checking signatures

During the last three days officers of the Klimavichy District Police Department have been paying visits to apartments of the citizens who had signed the appeal to the Klimavichy District Executive Committee to require capital repairs of the road in the village of Paulavichy in the Klimavichy district.

02.05.2012 Political prisoner Syramalotau doesn't receive newspapers

Pavel Syramalotau is serving a 7-year prison term in Mahiliou colony #17 for an attempt to set fire to the Babruisk KGB department.

02.05.2012 Detention of protester against construction works in Uruccha suburb

Dzianis Kabrusiou, an activist of "European Perspectives" campaign, was taking photos of soldiers of special task forces, who were digging out trees on a place of the future construction site. He was detained at 9 in the morning, European Radio for Belarus reports.

02.05.2012 Ales Bialiatski may not be amnestied because of new financial claims

Ales Bialiatski, a prominent human rights activist and head of the Human Rights Center "Viasna, reports about deterioration in confinement conditions in prison due to new claims of the Pershamaiski district court of Minsk.

02.05.2012 Mikashevichy: community work day instead of banned 1 May demonstration

The head of the Belarusian Independent Trade Union Mikalai Zimin and the head of the independent trade union at "Granite" factory Aleh Stakhayevich applied to the Mikashevichy authorities for the authorization of 1 May demonstration in the city. Predictably enough, the application was rejected.

02.05.2012 Detentions of Dzmitry Uss' adherents in Brest and Baranavichy

At 8.30 a.m. on 1 May Baranavichy police detained a group of civil activists at the central railway station. The activists were heading for Minsk in order to take part in a sitting of Dzmitry Uss' initiative group. Among the detainees there were Artsiom Babei, Viachaslau Bolbat, Aliaksandr Davydau and Ryhor Hryk.

02.05.2012 Brest: human rights defenders launch "Stop 1210" campaign

In Brest, human rights defenders held a round table to mark the beginning of the campaign "Stop 1210" aimed at the protection of freedom of peaceful assemblies.