The Human Rights Center “Viasna”

News for 6 Aug 2012

06.08.2012 Political prisoner Mikalai Statkevich doesn't get enough food

The political prisoner demands the prison authorities to fulfill the prison food regulations. Mikalai Statkevich sent a letter to his wife Maryna Adamovich. Maryna also talked to him on the phone. According to her, the political prisoner thanks all activists, who joined the initiative groups to propose Statkevich as a candidate. Maryna Adamovich says Mikalai Statkevich received a part of copies of decisions of election commissions, which refused to register the former presidential candidate. “Mikalai noted the decisions have the same text,” Maryna Adamovich says. She learned from a letter about her husband's long struggle for observing the nutrition guidelines for inmates. He found out these regulations were being violated, RFE/RL reports.

06.08.2012 Der Spiegel: Gernal police trained Belarusian riot police after 19 December 2010

Accusations that German federal police had questionable ties to the despotic regime of Belarusian dictator Aliaksandr Lukashenka were summarily dismissed by the head of the force last week. Now, new information has revealed that the rumors were actually true. The last training was conducted from 21 to 25 February 2011.

06.08.2012 Vaukavysk: activist detained for posters “Freedom to Bialiatski!”

Civil activist Vital Huliak was detained while posting leaflets “Freedom to Ales Bialiatski!” in the center of Vaukavysk. As he said to RFE/RL over the telephone, he did it in order to express solidarity with Ales Bialiatski, marking the international solidarity day with the civil society of Belarus.

06.08.2012 Brest: human rights defender holds race of solidarity with Ales Bialiatski

Human rights defender Uladzimir Malei ran along the busiest streets of the region's capital wearing a T-shirt “Freedom to Ales Bialiatski!”.

06.08.2012 Action of solidarity with Ales Bialiatski and detentions in Zhodzina

Zhodzina human rights defenders Aliaksei and Sviatlana Lapitskis and Aleh Leushyk made a bicycle rally along the busiest streets of the city wearing T-shirts “Freedom to Bialiatski!”

06.08.2012 Barysau: police disrupt canvassing picket of a democratic candidate

At about 11.50 a.m. the police detained the deputy head of the United Civil Party Leu Marholin and a member of his electoral team, Mikhail Vasiliieu near the large Barysau supermarket “Vesta”, where they were collecting signatures in support of Marholin's candidacy.

06.08.2012 UCP member not registered as candidate on first attempt

When the member of the United Civil Party Uladzimir Maliarchuk made the first attempt to pass the documents for the registration of his candidacy for the Parliament to the election commission of the Vileika constituency, he presented a copy of his party membership card.

06.08.2012 Weekly Analytical Report on Election Monitoring Results: July 30 – August 5

General Conclusions - The period of candidates’ nomination continues from July 15th to August 13th. Initiative groups collect signatures during door-to-door and street picket activities. - Some candidates and members of initiative groups experience pressure from the authorities. We have registered cases of state officials hindering the work of pro-democratic initiative groups, as well as usage of administrative resource to the benefit of pr-governmental candidates.