The Human Rights Center “Viasna”

News for 28 Mar 2013

28.03.2013 LGBT human rights activist Siarhei Androsenka stripped to shorts at customs control, his passport seized

Siarhei Androsenka, activist of the GayBelarus LGBT human rights movement, was detained at the Hudahai border check point while returning from Vilnius by train. His personal belongings were carefully examined.

28.03.2013 Belarusian NGOs call on Russian authorities to stop harassment of human rights defenders

Representatives of Belarusian NGOs issued a joint statement on the recent facts of persecution of NGOs and human rights defenders in the Russian Federation.

28.03.2013 Tell the Truth activist complains of KGB harassment

Aliaksandr Balobin, an activist of the “Tell the Truth” campaign from the town of Klimavichy, filed today a complaint to the Prosecutor's Office of Mahiliou region to challenge the actions by employees of the KGB’s Krychau interdistrict department who detained and interrogated him on March 27. The activist urges the prosecutor to investigate into the illegal detention by the KGB and threats against him, and to bring those responsible to justice in accordance with the law.

28.03.2013 Zhanna Litvina: I expect from Lithuania the firm and principled standing in all issues of freedom of speech…

A conference “What Belarus should expect from Lithuanian presidency in the EU?” took place on March 26 in the Seimas of the Republic of Lithuania. The conference was arranged within the “Belarusian Week in Vilnius” dedicated to the 95th anniversary of the proclamation of the Belarusian People’s Republic.

28.03.2013 Interior Ministry says “No” to Vitsebsk activists

Khrystafor Zhaliapau, head of Vitsebsk regional office of the movement “For Freedom”, received a reply to his complaint filed to the Interior Ministry after facing another ban on holding a mass event imposed by the city’s police department. Meanwhile, according to a decision of the local executive officials, permission to stage a street event can only be obtained with prior agreement of the police.

28.03.2013 Natallya Pinchuk: Paleckis must show his hand

The situation of political prisoners does not and will scarcely change for the better. Natallya Pinchuk, the wife of political prisoner Ales Byalyatski, gave an interview to charter97.org.

28.03.2013 Klimavichy activist escorted to another town to be questioned by KGB

Aliaksandr Balobin, an activist of the “Tell the Truth” campaign from the town of Klimavichy, was detained yesterday morning outside the building of Klimavichy district military conscription commission by two unknown men who introduced themselves as KGB officers. Aliaksandr Balobin was pushed into a car and taken to another town, KGB’s Krychau interdistrict department, where he was interrogated for three hours.