The Human Rights Center “Viasna”

News for April 2013

15.04.2013 Mikalai Autukhovich says he may sue investigator Alikhver

The political prisoner confirmed that the person whose photos were published in the press and social networks was the investigator who had brought the first criminal case against him.

15.04.2013 Lidziya Yarmoshyna ignores proposal of Vitsebsk human rights defender

Human rights defender Leanid Svetsik applied to the Central Election Commission with the proposal to introduce amendments to the Electoral Code. In particular, he asked to supply Article 11 of the Electoral Code with the notion of the legal status of election commissions. In her answer the CEC head informed him that his application wouldn't be considered on its merits.

15.04.2013 Trial of Piotr Ivanov postponed to 17 April

The trial of Vitsebsk citizen Piotr Ivanov, detained at the building of the regional road police on 12 April, started the same day. Mr. Ivanov solicited for the admission of his counsel to the trial. Andrei Preis, Judge of Pershamaiski Distrit Court of Vitsebsk, granted the petition. Piotr Ivanov was given time until 11.00 a.m. on 17 April in order to conclude a service agreement with a counsel, and was set free until then.

15.04.2013 Salihorsk officials misinform people about existence of Belarusian-language kindergarten

The head of Salihorsk District Council, Lidziya Klishevich, and the head of Salihorsk District Executive Committee, Aliaksandr Rymasheuski, mislead the public.

15.04.2013 Review-Chronicle of Human Rights Violations in March 2013

March was marked by the activation of the diplomatic relations between the EU countries and the Belarusian authorities, which was an important aspect for understanding the perspectives of the development of the situation of human rights, taking into consideration the strong dependence of this sphere on the external policy factor. Despite the voiced statements of the EU officials on the results of the contacts with the Belarusian side, there were no changes in the main principal issue – the release of political prisoners.

12.04.2013 Vitsebsk: civil activist Piotr Ivanov gets detained

Mr. Ivanou was taken to the police department of Vitsebsk Regional Executive Committee on 12 April.

12.04.2013 Youth Human Rights Movement gets nominated for Nobel Peace Prize

Norwegian Nobel Committee included the Youth Human Rights Movement in the list of nominees for the Nobel Peace Prize 2013. This network of organizations was nominated for the prize for educational and human rights activities in different countries. This became a peculiar gift to the human rights defenders on the International Day of Youth Actions for Human Rights, 9 April.

12.04.2013 Public viewing and discussion on film "Torture in Belarus. Apocalypsis"

On 15 April the Lithuanian cinema festival "Inconvenient Cinema" and the Belarusian Human Rights House invite all interested persons to the opening view of a documentary about tortures and cases of cruel and inhumane treatment of citizens by law-enforcement officers, and the following discussion with the film producer and its heroes.

12.04.2013 Salihorsk activists appeal Freedom Day picket prohibition at court

Salihorsk civil activist Uladzimir Shyla filed an appeal against the picket prohibition to Salihorsk District Court.

12.04.2013 Vitsebsk: holding of picket is hindered by... box

Vitsebsk activists received a letter from the ambulance, which refused to send a car to their picket on 12 April due to alleged business.

12.04.2013 Salihorsk authorities are passed petition for construction of new polyclinic

Almost 700 people signed the on-line petition for the construction of a new modern polyclinic in Salihorsk. Among them there are residents of Salihorsk, other cities of Belarus, and even foreign nationals. The initiator of the petition is the local human rights defender Aliaksei Valabuyeu.

12.04.2013 Civil hearings in Mahiliou: first dismantlement, then discussion

The local authorities are organizing "civil hearings" in Mahiliou. The local residents are proposed to discuss the draft of the construction of a complex of dwelling houses which will be constructed in the center of Mahiliou, in place of a baking factory in Levaya Dubravenka Street.

11.04.2013 Today is the second anniversary of explosion in Minsk metro

Memorial liturgies have been held in the Catholic and Orthodox churches of Minsk.

11.04.2013 Political scientist Valery Karbalevich gets detained near German Embassy

A correspondent of Radio "Liberty", political scientist Valery Karbalevich was detained while trying to get inside the Embassy of the Federal Republic of Germany in Minsk, where he had an appointment.

11.04.2013 Supreme Court issues registration dismisses appeal of "Young Democrats"

On 10 April the Supreme Court of Belarus decided to turn down the appeal of the "Young Christian Democrats" against the registration denial, issued to the organization by the Ministry of Justice.