The Human Rights Center “Viasna”

News for February 2013

19.02.2013 Belarusian health resorts lack places for disabled children

This was reported to the BelaPAN news agency by Mikalai Mazur, head of the National Center for Health Improvement and Sanatorium Treatment of Population.

19.02.2013 Lida: another trial for commemorating insurgents of 1863

Another administrative case has been initiated for honoring the memory of the heroes of the 1863 anti-Russian uprising. This time the absurd repression is being used by the authorities of Lida, Hrodna region.

19.02.2013 Belarusian Border Guard Jailed For Teddy-Bear Air Drop

A Belarusian border guard has received two years in prison for failing to report last year's illegal border crossing by a Swedish plane that dropped stuffed bears with pro-democracy messages.

19.02.2013 Iryna Khalip advised to go abroad and not return

The journalist, who was permitted to travel abroad, came to the Partyzanski district police department for a check. In the office of the chief of the corrections department, she met Alyaksandr Kupchenya, the deputy head of the supervision and corrections department at Minsk's main police department.

18.02.2013 Mahiliou Regional Court upholds KGB’s supervision over BCD activist

The Court of Mahiliou Region dismissed today a complaint lodged by Aleh Aksionau, local activist of the Belarusian Christian Democracy, to demand the cancellation of supervision measures imposed on him by the KGB. The activist says he is preparing a complaint to the President of the Regional Court.

18.02.2013 Trial of BCD Vitsebsk activists put off till 21 February

The trial of Stanislau Laurenau and Aliaksei Kishchuk, activists of the Belarusian Christian Democracy facing administrative charges for illegal picketing in central Vitsebsk on Friday afternoon, will be resumed on 21 February, after Judge Ina Hrabouskaya met the defendants’ motion requesting a counsel.

18.02.2013 Journalist Barazenka summoned to prosecutor's office

The cameraman was invited to the Minsk city prosecutor's office on February 20, Wednesday.

18.02.2013 Justice Department fails to address violations by Salihorsk Court

A new way to counter those wishing to complain to the UN Human Rights Committee is beginning to be applied in practice.

18.02.2013 Rights activist asks Lukashenka to say how many death sentences he commuted

Brest-based human rights defender Raman Kislyak has petitioned Alyaksandr Lukashenka to make public information about how many people sentenced to execution have been spared death by him since his election as president in 1994.

17.02.2013 The law may require apology for illegal administrative conviction

The House of Representatives hosted a meeting of the Committee on Legislation, which discussed the draft law “On amendments and additions to the Code of Administrative Offences and the Procedural-Executive Code of Administrative Offences”.

17.02.2013 Brest customs officers detain two Belarusian Wikipedia authors over suspicious books

Brest customs officers detained today two men, Ulad Hurynovich and Ruslan Yasayeu, who were returned from the meeting of the “Day of the Belarusian Wikipedia in Warsaw”, which was held yesterday at the University Collegium Civitas in the Palace of Culture and Science, Nasha Niva reports.

17.02.2013 Hrodna human rights defenders don’t give up

The representatives of the human rights movement in Hrodna will appeal unfair decisions by the Courts of Lenininski District and Hrodna Region to recognize their photography posted on the Internet as an unauthorized picket, Radio Racyja reports.

17.02.2013 Another rock concert banned in Minsk

The administration of the Minsk-based Doodah King club announced cancellation of a concert scheduled for 18 February and entitled “Bulboks-Live”, which was expected to feature the bands IQ48 and Dai Darohu, Nasha Niva reports referring to the organizers’ account on the social network “VKontakte”.

17.02.2013 “Life After Prison”: a new book by Aliaksandr Tamkovich

The new book by publicist Aliaksandr Tamkovich “Life After Prison” will be presented on 26 February. The book consists of 27 articles, which tell about what happened in the lives of the participants of the tragic events of December 19, 2010, who served short prison terms for participating in the so-called “riots”.

17.02.2013 Vitsebsk activists detained for displaying banner (Photo)

The detention took place at 12.10 yesterday. Aliaksei Kishchuk and Stanislau Laurenau, members of the organizing committee of the Belarusian Christian Democracy party, were taken to the police station. Soon both guys were unavailable on the phone, and then they sent a text message that they would be tried on Monday, and before that they were placed in the detention center.