The Human Rights Center “Viasna”

News for July 2012

04.07.2012 Rally against fake elections banned in Baranavichy

On 29 June entrepreneur and civil activists Mikalai Charnavus received a letter from the deputy head of the Baranavichy City Executive Committee Dz. Kastsiukevich, in which it was stated that the executive committee refused to authorize the countrywide rally on 9 July, by means of which Mr. Charnavus wanted to inform the public about the absence of real elections in Belarus at all levels.

04.07.2012 Homel oppositionists nominate 20 people to constituency commissions

The Homel regional organization of the United Civil Party held a sitting for the nomination of members to electoral commissions. It was decided to nominate eight people to the constituency electoral commissions in Homel and the Homel region. The regional organization of the “Fair World” party also nominated ten members to the electoral commissions, and two more were nominated by the Belarusian Popular Front Party.

04.07.2012 Action in support of Belarusian human rights defenders held in Berlin

On 19 June the Berlin branch of the human rights organization “Amnesty International” held a picket in support of Belarusian human rights defenders and opposition activists.

04.07.2012 Appeal of political prisoner Vasil Parfiankou to be considered 27 July

This May the Pershamaiski District Court of Minsk sentenced Mr. Parfiankou to six months of arrest for an alleged violation of the regime of prophylactic supervision.

04.07.2012 Prisoners are put into penal wards for contacts with Bialiatski

This information was received by the informational and educational establishment “Platform” from a former prisoner in Vitsebsk.

02.07.2012 “Arshanskaya Hazeta” starts early agitation for future pro-government candidate

Issue #73 of the state-owned “Ashanskaya Hazeta” newspaper of 30 June contains an interview with the head of the Orsha City Executive Committee Mikalai Lisouski.

02.07.2012 Mazyr: UCP member appeals picket ban

A member of the United Civil Party Uladzimir Repka wanted to hold a picket under the slogan “For honest elections without Lukashenka” near the “IstPal” market on 15 May in order to draw public attention to the absence of free and fair elections in Belarus.

02.07.2012 Belarusian civil society urges authorities to release political prisoners

On 30 June a conference of the National Platform for the Civil Society Forum of the Eastern Partnership adopted a resolution with such calls. Human rights defender Ales Bialiatski, who is serving a prison term, was chosen an honourable member of the Coordinative Board of the National Platform.

02.07.2012 Slonim district: commemoration of Valovich takes place under surveillance

Every summer Slonim dwellers commemorate one of the heads of the uprising against the Russian Empire, Mikhail Valovich, and his comrades in arms. On 1 July about 50 people from Slonim and Zelva regions gathered in the village of Parechcha where a memorial sign had been installed.

02.07.2012 Minsk: hidden agitation?

A poster with congratulations on 3 July (the official Independence Day) from a member of the House of Representatives of the National Assembly Vital Busko appeared on the territory of electoral constituency #107, at the tramway stop “Electronika” on Lahoiski Trakt Street.

02.07.2012 Yahor Viniatski was invited to police station to be detained and taken to detention facility

On 30 June an activist of “Zmena” (the youth wing of the “Tell the Truth” civil initiative) Yahor Viniatski received a call from the Pershamaiski District Police Department. He was invited to come to the department at 5 p.m. in connection with his application concerning the theft of his laptop.

02.07.2012 Kyiv: police disperse action in suppport of Bialiatski

On 1 July in Kyiv activists of the Kyiv informational center of the International Control Committee over the situation of human rigths in Belarus held a marathon of letters for Ales Bialiatski. The action was supported by nine Ukrainian human rights organizations, including representatives of “Amnesty International”, and was held in the center of Kyiv, but outside the fan-zone of Euro-2012.

02.07.2012 Barysau district: detention of members of Trade Union of Radio-electronic Industry

Eight members of the Trade Union of Radio-Electronic Industry (TUREI) were detained by police at the tourist camp in the village of Bryli in the Barysau district. Seven of them were released in three hours, having received charges under Article 17.3 of the Code of Administrative Offences. The head of the Mahiliou regional TUREI department Aliaksei Yauhenau was left at the police station.

02.07.2012 Hrodna: Leninski District Court goes its usual way

On 30 June the Leninski District Court of Hrodna considered the appeal of Aliaksandra Vasilevich, the head of the Hrodna city organization of the United Civil Party, against the refusal of the Hrodna City Executive Committee to authorize a picket under the slogan “For honest elections without Lukashenka”.

02.07.2012 Borders of electoral constituencies changed in Brest region

There are 16 electoral constituencies is the Brest region. According to information of the “Narodnaya Trybuna” newspaper, the boundaries of some of them have been reviewed due to the change of the number of electors.