The Human Rights Center “Viasna”

News for July 2012

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.

04.07.2012 Andrei Molchan, severely beaten during detention, gets a fine

On 4 July an activist of the “European Belarus” Andrei Molchan was tried at the Pershamaiski District Court of Minsk for having unfurled a national white-red-white flag on 19 May in order to express solidarity with Siarhei Kavalenka.

04.07.2012 Valiantsin Stefanovich’s lawsuit to be considered on 16 July

Human rights defender Valiantsin Stefanovich has finally received a summons to court. The case will be considered by Judge Alena Siamak – she protracted the appointment of the trial for more than four months, though the legal term for considering lawsuits is just one month.

04.07.2012 Opposition to nominate one pretender at Pruzhanskaya constituency #9 and three – at Ivatsevichskaya constituency #11.

The head of the Biaroza district branch of the United Civil Party Aliaksandr Kabanau intends to run for the Parliament at the Pruzhany electoral constituency #9. A member of the Belarusian Social Democratic Party “Hramada” and the civil campaign “Tell the Truth!” Valiantsin Lazarenkau and a member of the United Civil Party Viktoryia Hryniuk will run at Ivatsevichy electoral constituency #11.

04.07.2012 Baranavichy: preventive detention of youth activist

Youth activist Artsiom Babei was detained in Baranavichy on 3 July, the official Independence Day.

04.07.2012 Slonim: activist of the Belarusian Christian Democracy fined again

Late in the evening of 3 July a member of the Belarusian Christian Democracy Volha Pansevich was detained near the Slonim District Executive Committee.