The Human Rights Center “Viasna”

News for February 2013

11.02.2013 Human rights defenders congratulate Vasil Parfiankou on his release from jail (photos)

The political prisoner Vasil Parfiankou was released from the Babruisk remand prison #6 at about 11 a.m. on 9 February. He was met by friends and comrades-in-arms, human rights defenders, public and political activists from Minsk and Baranavichy.

09.02.2013 Political prisoner Vasil Parfiankou to be released today

The participant of the post-election protests of 19 December 2010 Vasil Parfiankou is to be released on 9 February. At present he is serving an arrest term in the remand prison in Baranavichy.

08.02.2013 Brest: strike at "Compo"

In the morning of 8 February workers of the mechanical workshop of the machine-building enterprise "Compo" refused to start working.

08.02.2013 KGB postpones hearings on appeal of BCD activist Aleh Aksionau

The court hearing at the Mahiliou Region Court on appeal of a coordinator of the Belarusian Christian Democracy Aleh Aksionau against the State Security Committee (KGB) was postponed on the KGB request.

08.02.2013 Former political prisoner Artsiom Hrybkou perished in car accident

The tragedy happened back on 13 December 2012. "He died in a car crash, but I don't want any publicity," said Artsiom Hrybkou's widow, Sviatlana to a journalist of Radio "Liberty".

08.02.2013 Ministry of Information explains registration denial to "Arche-Pachatak" with "procedural moments"

To be sincere, the official answer of the Ministry of Information to the repeated application, submitted by the new founder of "ARCHE" for its re-registration with the state, was a surprise...

08.02.2013 Andrei Haidukou's mother: we cannot understand what is really done to our sone

Volha Haidukova, the mother of the civil activist Andrei Haidukou charged with "high treason", stated that she could only communicate with her son by means of mail correspondence.

08.02.2013 Human rights defender Uladzimir Khilmanovich searched on the border again

In the evening of 7 February the Hrodna publicist and human rights defender Uladzimir Khilmanovich was returning to Belarus by the route bus Bialystok-Hrodna.

08.02.2013 Ales Bialiatski: "I will never forget the clang of heavy iron prison doors"

A letter from Ales Bialiatski, written on 4 February, the day when 1.5 years passed since his arrest, has reached the addressee.

08.02.2013 Pickets for construction of new polyclinic to be held in Salihorsk

The public activists of Salihorsk intend to hold a picket to support the idea of the construction of a new polyclinic in the city. The application for the authorization of the picket has been filed to the Salihorsk District Executive Committee by a member of the United Civil Party Viktar Malochka.

08.02.2013 Baranavichy authorities ban rally because the applicant has been punished by court for an administrative offense

On 7 February the Baranavichy entrepreneur and civil activist Mikalai Charnavus received a letter signed by the deputy head of the Baranavichy City Executive Committee Dz. Kastsiukevich in which it was stated that the executive committee did not authorize the rally the applicant intended to held on 12 February. As it is stated in the letter, "the persons who have been punished for violating the order of holding or organizing mass events cannot act as organizers of mass events during one year after the imposition of the administrative penalty".

08.02.2013 30 cows and 2 horses confiscated from a farmer in the Pruzhany district

During the sitting of the district authorities with the participation of the head of law-enforcement agencies (the head of the Pruzhany District Police Department and the district prosecutor), held at the end of 2012, it was decided to deprive Vasil Saltrukovich, a farmer from the village of Liakhi, of 30 cows and 2 horses.

08.02.2013 Book by Ales Bialiatski appears in print

"Enlightened by Belarusianness" ("Asvechanyia Belaruschunai") is a digest of literary articles and essays by Ales Bialiatski. He started the work over this book back in 2011, when he was still free, and continued the work after the arrest, in the prisons of Babruisk, Minsk and Zhodzina.

08.02.2013 Head of the Mahiliou Region UCP branch appeals picket ban

On 7 February Uladzimir Shantsau filed an appropriate appeal with the Mahiliou Region Court.

08.02.2013 Ten days of arrest for a flash-mob about unemployment in Belarus

On 7 February an activist of the "Alternative" Dzmitry Silchanka was sentenced to ten days of arrest under Article 23.34 of the Code of Administrative Offenses, "Violation of the order of organization and holding mass events". The verdict was pronounced by the Savetski District Court of Minsk.