The Human Rights Center “Viasna”

News for April 2013

19.04.2013 Are there any threats for sellers and owners of “Belarus Press Photo 2011” album?

On April 17, Yulia Darashkevich received a phone call from the “Book Salon” located in Kalinin Street in Minsk with a request to pick up the rest of the copies of the album they had not sold. The journalist reported this through her Facebook page. On April 18, the NGO “Belarusian Association of Journalists” contacted the bookshop to find out that the store was not going to sell any more of these books, despite the fact that at the time the court had not even announced its decision.

19.04.2013 Journalists detained in Minsk

Aleh Hruzdzilovich, journalist of Radio Liberty/Radio Free Europe’s Belarus service, and Siarhei Satsiuk, cameraman of the BelaPAN news agency, were detained this morning while covering a protest staged by a public initiative “Against Lawlessness in the Courts and the Prosecutor’s Office” in Minsk’s Independence Square, outside the House of Government building where President Lukashenka is expected to address the Parliament today, RFE/RL reports.

19.04.2013 BAJ Objects to Ashmiany Court Verdict on ‘Extremism’ in ‘Press Photo Belarus 2011’ Photo Album

The Belarusian Association of Journalists has sharply objected to the decision of Ashmiany District Court on recognizing the ‘Press Photo Belarus 2011’ photo album as an extremist material.

18.04.2013 Homel human rights defender seeks compensation over failure to implement UN HR Committee decisions

Human rights defender Leanid Sudalenka filed a lawsuit to the Tsentralny District Court of Homel against the Ministry of Finance demanding compensation for moral damages due to the failure of the authorities to implement the recommendations of the UN Human Rights Committee. He estimates the moral damage at the amount of the salary of a Member of Parliament within four years of office.

18.04.2013 Slonim: Freedom Day participants questioned by police

Slonim police questioned today UCP activists, brothers Siarhei and Andrei Bialkos. They were summoned to the district police department over their involvement in the celebration of Freedom Day, 25 March.

18.04.2013 Ashmiany court: album “Belarus Press Photo 2011” contains extremist materials

Ashmiany District Court ruled today in a lawsuit brought by the KGB’s Hrodna regional department and found the album “Belarus Press Photo 2011” an extremist edition. As a result of a two-day trial, the 41 copies of the publication earlier confiscated by the customs officials were ordered to be destroyed.

18.04.2013 Vitsebsk activist Piotr Ivanov fined 4 million

The first penalty of 2 mln was awarded for allegedly stating false facts in his complaint of a violation of traffic rules by a police car. The second fine deals with disobeying police officers who forcibly dragged him to court for perjury. Piotr Ivanov did not admit his guilt either in the first or in the second case.

18.04.2013 Barysau entrepreneurs threaten to go on strike

Vendors object to rental fees rise at the local market.

18.04.2013 Vitsebsk Regional Court turns down Siarhei Kavalenka’s appeal

Vitsebsk Regional Court upheld the decision by Pershamaiski District Court to fine Siarhei Kavalenka, activist of the Conservative Christian Party “Belarusian Popular Front,” 1 million rubles on disorderly conduct charges.

18.04.2013 Amnesty International: Silencing civil society in Belarus

The report, What is not permitted is prohibited: Silencing civil society in Belarus, shows how the authorities in Belarus regularly deny the rights to freedom of peaceful assembly, association and expression, preventing people from speaking out in public, holding demonstrations or setting up civil organizations. Peaceful demonstrators frequently face fines or even prison sentences.

18.04.2013 Homel court upholds picket ban

Judge Zhanna Andreichyk of the Court of Homel’s Tsentralny District considered yesterday the complaint of civil activist Kanstantsin Zhukouski about a ban on holding a picket on 1 April imposed by the city executive committee. The activist and his associates were planning to hold a rally under a slogan “Homel City Executive Committee! Hands Off History!” in order to attract public attention to the destruction of unique wooden buildings in the center of Homel.

17.04.2013 Verdict in extremism trial expected tomorrow

The Court of Ashmiany district (Hrodna region) considered today a lawsuit brought by the KGB’s regional office to recognize the “Belarus Press Photo 2011” album an extremist edition.

17.04.2013 Ivashkevich cannot leave Belarus due to “destructive talks about sanctions”

A coordinator of European Belarus civil campaign, Viktar Ivashkevich, was banned from leaving the country, because he has not “repented” on the Charter'97 website.

17.04.2013 Salihorsk authorities reject proposals for improving language equality

Salihorsk office of the Belarusian Language Society received a reply to its statement urging the officials to bring the names of local executive bodies in compliance with the Constitution and the Law “On Languages.” Among other things, the BSL demanded to translate the signs on the buildings of Salihorsk district executive committee and the district council of deputies into the Belarusian language, the entrances to which are still decorated with signs only in Russian.

17.04.2013 Viktor Stukov: "I thought I`m going to Polotsk Court, and it turned out that it is the court of Irina Dorotko."

Judge of the Polotsk Court Irina Dorotko has rejected all of the arguments of the trade union leader Victor Stukov, and upheld the employer's decision to dismiss him. According to Victor Stukov, the objections of the trade union lawyer Elena Eskova were responded by the judge as follows: "I don't know about other courts, but here is my court!"