The Human Rights Center “Viasna”

News for May 2012

11.05.2012 Vitsebsk entrepreneur Iryna Yaskevich harassed by tax inspection

Iryna Yaskevich, organizer of "People's Assemblies" and an activist of the entrepreneurs' movement, received an order from the district tax inspection to provide income and assets declaration for the last ten years.

11.05.2012 Brest activists collect signatures against persecution of Pavel Vinahradau

Former political prisoner, a member of the civil campaign "Tell the Truth" Pavel Vinahradau regularly receives administrative penalties. As a result, he can be subject to new criminal persecution.

11.05.2012 Baranavichy activist complains to Lukashenka about prosecutors

On 11 May civil activist Ryhor Hryk (in the photo) addressed A. Lukashenka with a complaint about actions of the Prosecutor General, the prosecutor of Baranavichy and the prosecutor of the Brest region.

11.05.2012 Rahachou authorities ban pickets in support of "Dazhynki" festival

Civil activists of Rahachou intended to hold several pickets and an assembly in the district Culture Palace within the framework of the campaign "Let's return "Dazhynki" to Rahachou!". However, Rahachou District Executive Committee banned all these events.

11.05.2012 Alena Kavalenka suspects her husband has resumed his hunger-strike

Siarhei Kavalenka has not been given a meeting with his wife in Vitsebsk remand prison.

11.05.2012 Who hires internet-trolls?

A freelance site offers a project to troll pro-opposition Internet forums in Belarus.

11.05.2012 Prison guards refuse to accept food parcels for Dzmitryieu and Pashkevich

Activists of “Tell the Truth!” campaign and some people from neighboring villages and summer cottages communities gathered near the police department of the Smaliavichy district.

11.05.2012 Review-Chronicle of Human Rights Violations in Belarus in April 2012

April was marked by first steps towards de-escalation of the political conflict between the Belarusian authorities and the European Union. Two political prisoners were released as a result – former presidential candidate Andrei Sannikau and his electioneering agent Dzmitry Bandarenka (on 14 and 15 April respectively). In response to this move the EU refused to take further sanctions against Belarus, while stressing the need to release all political prisoners at the meeting of 23 April.

10.05.2012 Postgraduate Paulouski complains to police about rector's behavior

Aliaksei Paulouski, a post-graduate student of the institute of physiology of the National Academy of Sciences filed an application with the Pershamaiski District Police Department against the rector Iosif Zalutski.

10.05.2012 11 May: Paris supports Ales Bialiatski

On 11 May a gigantic portrait of the vice-president of the International Federation for Human Rights Ales Bialiatski with the demand of his immediate release from prison will be hanged out on the façade of the Paris Mayor’s office.

10.05.2012 10 days of arrest for stickers “No to death penalty!”

On 24 April Ihar Shalai was detained near the building of the Ministry of Internal Affairs in Minsk for posting stickers “No to death penalty!” and guarded to the Savetski District Police Department by two police officers.

10.05.2012 Hearings on Siarhei Kavalenka’s appeal against prison sentence to resume on 18 May

The consideration of the appeal was postponed by the Vitsebsk Regional Court on 10 April, in connection with the appointed of a comprehensive psychiatric expertise for Siarhei Kavalenka in the Navinki psychiatric hospital in Minsk.

10.05.2012 “Young Front” activists fined for throwing eggs at Lenin

The court of the Maskouski district of Minsk satisfied in part the claim by communists Mikalai Yushchanka and Mikalai Valovich.

10.05.2012 Salihorsk residents demand introduction of criminal liability for torture

Civil activists from Salihorsk addressed the Chamber of Representatives with proposals to introduce the notion of "torture" in the Belarusian criminal legislation, and criminal punishment for it. They also demand that the MPs start working out a law against torture.

10.05.2012 Yauhen Vaskovich doesn't receive even birthday postcards

The former colleague of Yauhen Vaskovich in "Babruiski Kur'yer" newspaper Alesia Skapintsava finally received the first letter from him. In this letter he didn't confirm the guess of Babruisk residents that only their letters weren't let through. In fact, his letters don't reach all addressees either.