The Human Rights Center “Viasna”

News for April 2013

17.04.2013 Astravets civil society activist seeking return of seized items

Astravets civil society activist Mikalai Ulasevich keeps his legal battle with Ashmiany regional customs. He sent another complaint to the district court of Ashmiany to challenge the unlawful actions of customs officials.

17.04.2013 Vitsebsk judge goes unpunished

“The investigation into the facts of gross disrespect to the participants of the trial by Judge of the Court of Kastrychnitski District of Vitsebsk I.V. Hrabouskaya failed to find grounds for initiating disciplinary proceedings against her,” says an official letter from the first deputy head of the Justice Department of Vitsebsk regional executive committee Ihar Karzhou in response to a statement sent to said department by the head of Vitsebsk regional office of the Belarusian Popular Front Party Leanid Autukhou.

17.04.2013 We Will Not Forget: Yury Zakharanka

The Minsk office of the Belarusian Popular Front hosted yesterday an event in memory of Yury Zakharanka, former Minister of Internal Affairs, who disappeared almost 14 years ago. The meeting entitled “We Will Not Forget” was arranged by activists of the Young Christian Democrats.

16.04.2013 Starch plant near Pruzhany pollutes environment

The plant, built by the Chinese technology, cannot handle wastewater treatment and air pollution issues, making huge emissions into the river, Euroradio reports.

16.04.2013 Opposition activists in Brest seeking permission for May Day demonstration

The Brest regional chapter of the Hramada Belarusian Social Democratic Party (BSDP) has applied to the regional capital's authorities for permission to stage a May Day demonstration in the city.

16.04.2013 Minsk City Court turns down appeal by Ukrainian activists

Minsk City Court dismissed today an appeal lodged by Mrs. Yulia Hryshchuk and Mrs. Yulia Slivinskaya, both citizens of Ukraine, who were detained by the police during the 24 March Freedom Day demonstration. The girls were then charged with resisting arrest and eventually sentenced to one day of administrative arrest each.

16.04.2013 UCP activist sues employer in Salihorsk

Viktar Malochka, activist of the United Civil Party’s Salihorsk office, is suing his employer over what he says is harassment he has been subjected to in the past two years.

16.04.2013 Valiantsin Stefanovich: “Brussels has no illusions in its assessment of the regime”

Such a conclusion was made by the deputy chairman of the Human Rights Center “Viasna” as a result of his recent visit to the capital of the European Union to participate in a conference on the dialogue on the modernization of Belarus and have a number of meetings.

16.04.2013 The Trial on ‘Press-Photo’ Albums Expected to Be Secretive

A photo reporter Yulia Darashkevich has shared the news in her FB account. As the ‘person concerned’, she is going to attend the court session on April 17, 2013.

16.04.2013 Forced money collection for church building

Teachers in Pinsk were deprived of part of their salary for the construction of an Orthodox church.

15.04.2013 Henik Loika's victory

After the protest action held by architect Henik Loika near Minsk gymnasium #4, the educational establishment was prescribed to return to the Belarusian language of instruction.

15.04.2013 Relatives receive no letters from Ihar Alinevich after publication of his book

In March the book by the Belarusian political prisoner Ihar Alinevich "Going to Magadan" ("Yedu v Magadan") was published in Russia.

15.04.2013 Ritual burial of car details in Mahiliou

On 14 April in Mahiliou car drivers expressed their protest against the unsatisfactory state of the roads by burying the details which had gone out of order on these roads, and laid down flowers on the improvised grave.

15.04.2013 Ilona Tkachova still not returned her laptop

Zhlobin member of the "Fair World" Ilona Tkachova still hasn't been returned her laptop and photo camera which have been confiscated at the Belarusian-Ukrainian border.

15.04.2013 Vitsebsk activists applied for authorization of tree pickets dated to anniversary of Chernobyl accident

Yan Dziarzhautsau, a member of the Conservative-Christian Party Belarusian Popular Front, applied to Kastrychnitski District Executive Committee with an application for the authorization of a picket on 26 April. Earlier, two similar applications were filed by the head of Vitsebsk regional branch of the Belarusian Popular Front Leanid Autukhou and the head of the regional branch of the "For Freedom" movement Khrystafor Zhaliapau.