The Human Rights Center “Viasna”

News for 5 Jul 2012

05.07.2012 UN Human Rights Council resolution on situation of human righst in Belarus

Here we present to your attention the text of the document:

05.07.2012 Brest: court upholds ban of “Honest elections without Lukashenka” picket

The Leninski District Court of Brest didn’t grant the appeal of an activist of the United Civil Party Marat Nestsiarenka against the prohibition of a picket “For honest elections without Lukashenka”.

05.07.2012 Parents with many children demand punishment for customs officer

In their collective appeal to the head of the State Customs Committee Aliaksandr Shpileuski a group of parents with many children and adoptive parents demands to punish the head of the customs department of Minsk post Aliaksandr Tsikhanavetski under Article 5.24 of the Code of Administrative Offences – violation of the legislation concerning the book of complaints and proposals.

05.07.2012 Democratic opposition nominated 30 representatives to constituency election commissions in Mahiliou region

According to the head of the Coordinative Board of the Mahiliou democratic coalition, Yury Novikau, democratic parties and NGOs of the Mahiliou region nominated 30 people to 12 out of 13 constituency election commissions of the region. 11 people were nominated by the Belarusian Popular Front Party and the NGO Movemvent BPF “Adradzhenne”, 10 – by the “Fair World” and 10 – by the United Civil Party.

05.07.2012 Belarusian Popular Front to nominated five candidates in Mahiliou region

The Belarusian Popular Front intends to nominate five candidates for the parliament in the Mahiliou region, including the head of the Mahiliou city BPF organization Siarhey Bytsikau and his deputy Viktar Makaranka, the both of who will run in Mahiliou.

05.07.2012 Appeal of ERB journalist to be considered on 6 July

At 3 p.m. on 6 July an appeal against an unlawful arrest of a journalist for the “European Radio For Belarus” Pavel Sviardlou will be considered at the Minsk City Court.

05.07.2012 Baranavichy: only “Fair Wolrd” and UCP nominate members to constituency election commissions

Only four opposition members filed applications for being included into election commissions in Baranavichy – three representatives of the Belarusian Leftist Party “Fair World” and one representative of the United Civil Party.

05.07.2012 Democratic activists of Babruisk boycott parliamentary election

The democratic forces of Babruisk almost unanimously boycott the upcoming parliamentary election. Only several people decided to run at it. The local branch of the Belarusian Christian Democracy even proposes launching an active boycott campaign.

05.07.2012 Members of independent trade union at “Granite” intend to boycott elections

Many of members of the independent trade union on Granit plant in Mikashevichy are going to boycott the “election” to the House of Representatives, because they have no illusions that the political campaign will comply with democratic norms.

05.07.2012 Political prisoner Autukhovich deprived of meeting with wife

The convicted entrepreneur from Vaukavysk Mikalai Autukhovich risks losing the right to meet with his daughter and wife planned for the end of July.

05.07.2012 Uruccha protesters dispersed by police

Leanid Mazhalski, one of the leader of a group of people protesting against infill construction in Uruchcha city district was detained in Russiyanau Park in Minsk At 11 a.m. on 5 July. He and his wife are in the city police department in Uruchskaya Street. An ambulance was called for the detainee, udf.by reports.

05.07.2012 Central Election Commission refuses to register initiative group of ex-political prisoner Dzmitry Uss

The Central Election Commission of Belarus (CEC) refused to register an initiative group to exercise the right of legislative initiative. This statement was made today at a CEC meeting by Mikalai Lazavik, the secretary of the Cetnral Commission of Belarus for Elections and National Referenda, Nasha Niva newspaper reports.

05.07.2012 Road “policeman” breaks his wand against biker’s chest

The incident happened at about 6 in the morning on July 2, not far from the cinema "Belarus".

05.07.2012 The UN Human Rights Council creates a Special Rapporteur on Belarus

Today, the United Nations Human Rights Council (HRC) adopted a resolution on the situation of human rights in Belarus expressing concerns over the prompt deterioration of the situation of human rights in the country following the Presidential elections of December 2010, and establishing a mandate for a Special Rapporteur to monitor the situation, work with the authorities and the domestic civil society, and report back to the Council and to the General Assembly.