The Human Rights Center “Viasna”

News for July 2013

08.07.2013 UCP activist to stand trial for protesting against Russian air base

Mikalai Hladyshau, activist of the United Civil Party, was summoned today to Leninski district police department of Mahiliou to be interrogated and charged with an administrative offence. The activist is accused of violating Article 23.34 of the Code on Administrative Offences, “violation of the order of organizing and holding mass events.”

08.07.2013 Young doctor Dzmitry Luchyts fired

Dzmitry Luchyts, a young doctor of Brest Regional Hospital, member of the independent trade union of Radio and Electronic Industry, was fired on July 5 due to the expiry of his contract, despite his statement of July 4 demanding early termination of the contract because of violations of labor legislation by the employer.

08.07.2013 DZMITRY ZAVADSKY: Missing for 13 Years

27 year old journalist disappeared in unclear circumstances on a way to Minsk airport; the body has not been found. BAJ commemorates Dzmitry Zavadski by a minute of silence at noon on July 7.

08.07.2013 BHC petitions Supreme Court with opinion on case of death convict Ryhor Yuzepchuk

In July 2012, two inmates killed a cellmate in a prison in Mahiliou. The verdict in the case was handed down to them on April 25, 2013 by Mahiliou Regional Court. One of the prisoners, Ryhor Yuzepchuk, was sentenced to death. The appeal in the case is now subject to review by the Supreme Court of the Republic of Belarus.

08.07.2013 Bialynichy activist appeals fine

Civil society activist Valery Vusik filed on July 5 a complaint to the Chairman of Mahiliou Regional Court, Ihar Prashko. In his complaint, the activist asks to cancel a ruling by the district court of Bialynichy that sentenced him to fine of 5 mln rubles in late March.

08.07.2013 BCD activist to stand trial for commemoration of Dzmitry Zavadzki

The BCD steering committee's member, Pavel Prakapovich, was detained on Sunday, July 7 in Minsk.

05.07.2013 Trade union activist sues employer over dismissal

Leanid Dubanosau, activist of the independent trade union at the major state-owned Granite enterprise, is appealing his dismissal by the company’s administration. According to the worker, he knew that he would be fired, but did not expect that to be done immediately after a holiday, without any notice.

05.07.2013 Police and courts keep hounding Vitsebsk activist

A resident of Vitsebsk Piotr Ivanov was again fined for an administrative offense allegedly committed by him. The amount of the fine is 5 mln rubles. And the fact that he had been tried was reported to Piotr Ivanov only when the proceedings in the court had been over: as claimed by Mr. Ivanov, he had received the summons the day after the hearing.

05.07.2013 Frantskevich to be placed under police supervision after his release

Political prisoner Aliaksandr Frantskevich will be placed under police supervision after his release from jail.

05.07.2013 Two young opposition activists arrested ahead of Independence Day celebrations get two-day jail terms

Two young opposition activists who were preventively arrested by police in Minsk on July 2 ahead of Independence Day celebrations were sentenced to two days in jail on Thursday.

04.07.2013 FIDH concerned about conviction of Andrei Haidukou

FIDH is concerned about the conviction of 23 year old youth activist, Andrey Haidukou, who was sentenced to 1.5 years in prison on 1 July 2013 for the attempted “establishment of cooperation with the security services of a foreign state” (Article 14, part. 1 and 356.1 of the Belarusian Criminal Code).

04.07.2013 Mahiliou UCP activist detained in picket against Russian air base

An activist of the United Civil Party’s Mahiliou office Mikalai Hladyshau staged today a picket to protest against the deployment of a Russian air base in Belarus, and was eventually detained by local police. After a while, he was released but told to appear at the police department later for further procedures.

04.07.2013 Mikalai Statkevich visited by wife

On July 2 political prisoner Mikalai Statkevich was visited by his wife in Mahiliou prison No. 4, Radio Racyja reports.

04.07.2013 Salihorsk UCP activist sues local state-run TV channel over language discrimination

A member of the United Civil Party, Viktar Malochka, filed a lawsuit to the Court of Salihorsk district against local state-owned TV channel. The decision to sue the TV channel is linked to failure of the latter to put on the air in March 2013 a greeting on the 95th anniversary of the Belarusian People’s Republic and repeated replies in Russian.

04.07.2013 Homel human rights defenders help prepare complaint to UN Human Rights Committee for death convict

Human rights defender Leanid Sudalenka met the mother of a Homel resident, Aliaksandr Hrunou, who was sentenced to death for the murder of a 25-year-old student. The lawyer discussed the question of exhaustion of all domestic remedies for an individual complaint to the UN Human Rights Committee.