The Human Rights Center “Viasna”

News for October 2012

15.10.2012 Bialiatski: “These 209 postcards lifted my mood for 209 days and filled me with energy”

The imprisoned head of the Human Rights Center “Viasna” and vice-president of the International Federation for Human Rights (FIDH) Ales Bialiatski writes that he is still trying to answer all congratulations he receives on his 50th birthday. He counted about 700 by 4 October.

15.10.2012 Rahachou: civil activist Dznianis Dashkevich fined 3 million rubles

On 12 October the Rahachou City Court took a decision on the law suit of the district’s newspaper “Svabodnaye Slova” against the creator of a local web-site Dzianis Dashkevich.

15.10.2012 Opposition activist Uladzimir Siakerka searched on the border

Uladzimir Siakerka, a member of the “Fair World” party, was taken off Chernihiv-Homel train at Tsiarukha station on the border on 14 October.

15.10.2012 Review-Chronicle of Human Rights Violations in Belarus in September 2012

The situation of human rights in Belarus remained stably bad in September. At the same time, important changes in the situation of political prisoners took place – two political prisoners were released: Vitsebsk activist of the Conservative-Christian Party “Belarusian Popular Front” Siarhei Kavalenka and an activist of the anarchist movement Pavel Syramalotau (on 26 and 27 September respectively). Both political prisoners had written pardon petitions for Lukashenka back in June 2012. However, the decision about their release was taken only three months after.

12.10.2012 Democratic activists sentenced to 5 days of arrest for action against state propaganda

As stated to RFE/RL by Bolha Burnevich, the leader of the youth initiative “Alternative” Aleh Korban and an activist Uladzimir Siarheyeu were detained for an action against the propaganda on Belarusian TV.

12.10.2012 Marathon race for freedom of Ales Bialiatski (photos)

The human rights defender Uladzimir Malei regularly reminds the society about the imprisoned head of the Human Rights Center “Viasna” Ales Bialiatski during marathon races, not only in Belarus but also abroad.

12.10.2012 Leaflets in support of Ales Bialiatski posted in Slonim

Members of the Slonim democratic association held an action in support of the imprisoned human rights defender Ales Bialiatski.

11.10.2012 Orsha observers apply to Investigation Committee

Mikalai Dziamidau and Yauhen Anishchanka, coordinators of the “For Fair Elections – 2012” campaign who observed the voting at the polling stations of the election constituencies #26 and 27, discovered a number of violations of the Electoral Code of the Republic of Belarus.

11.10.2012 Minsk: human rights defenders show “Departed on Sentence”

On 10 October, marking the World Day against the Death Penalty, Belarusian human rights defenders held the first run of the documentary “Departed on Sentence”.

11.10.2012 Former candidate tries to appeal election results at Supreme Court

Ihar Sluchak, a former candidate for the Parliament at the Homel-Savetskaya constituency #34, filed an appeal against the results of the election at this constituency to the Supreme Court. He asks the court to abolish the ruling of the Central Election Commission of 5 October according to which he was denied in holding a repeated counting of votes. He also asks the court to appoint the repeated vote counting at the constituency.

10.10.2012 Baranavichy human rights activists hold street action on World Day against the Death Penalty

On 10 October the Baranavichy human rights defenders and civil activists marked the World Day against the Death Penalty.

10.10.2012 "Cause of Death __" documentary shown in Mahiliou

The showing, organized by the local human rights defenders, wasdated to the World Day against the Death Penalty, 10 October.

10.10.2012 Young artist Nasta Maistrenka urgently needs your help!

Nasta Maistrenka, a young artist from Belarus, suffers from a hard illness. Her family and friends urgently raise funds for a course of chemotherapy in Israel.

10.10.2012 Streamers “NO to Death Penalty” appeared in the center of Minsk

Youth activists hanged out the banners to mark the World Day against the Death Penalty and draw the public attention to the problem of the ongoing use of this kind of punishment.

10.10.2012 Today is the World Day against the Death Penalty

The idea to mark the Day against the Death Penalty belongs to the World Coalition Against the Death Penalty, which includes about 40 human rights organizations, including “Amnesty International”, as well as bar associations, unions and local governments from all over the world. In September 2007 the Board of Ministers of the European Council decided to mark the European Day against the Death Penalty within the framework of the World Day, as far as Europe is a space which has been factually free from the death penalty since 1997.