The Human Rights Center “Viasna”

News for September 2013

19.09.2013 Biaroza court confirms picket ban

The court of Biaroza district considered yesterday a joint complaint by human rights defenders Siarhei Rusetski and Tamara Shchapiotkina, as well as civil society activist Tatsiana Tarasevich. They asked the court to reverse a ban imposed by the district executive committee on a demonstration of solidarity with political prisoners scheduled for August 4, as well as to recognize a violation of terms of replying (instead of July 30, as required by law, the reply was sent to the applicants on August 2).

19.09.2013 Belaaziorsk activist appeals warning in court

An activist of the "Tell the Truth" campaign from the town of Belaaziorsk, Aliaksandr Kuzmin, is appealing a warning issued to him for acting on behalf of the unregistered organization by Biaroza District Prosecutor's Office and supported by Brest Regional Prosecutor’s Office. Leninski District Court of Brest opened yesterday the first session to consider the activist’s complaint, in which he asks to recognize the warning illegal.

18.09.2013 Uladzimir Labkovich’s trial adjourned

The Court of Minsk’s Savetski district considered today the administrative charges brought against human rights defender Uladzimir Labkovich for alleged illegal picketing on August 5. However, the Judge ruled to adjourn the trial to September 30, after the key witness for the prosecution, policeman Smaliak, failed to appear in the courtroom.

18.09.2013 Prison authorities keep harassing Mikalai Autukhovich

Mikalai Autukhovich learned on September 4 that prison supervisors charged him with violation of the internal regulations of the correctional institution, just one month ahead of the expected lifting of all penalties from him. Meanwhile, the political prisoner says he strictly observes the prison rules.

18.09.2013 Echo of business strikes in Baranavichy: activist receives prosecutor’s warning

Activist Mikalai Charnavus was summoned yesterday to Baranavichy District Prosecutor's Office to receive an official warning for organizing of unsanctioned rallies by Baranavichy entrepreneurs on June 27 at the local cooperative market and in front of the city executive committee building.

18.09.2013 Bialynichy court rules in favor of distributor of independent weekly

Bialynichy district court continued yesterday the consideration of an administrative case against a resident of the village of Lebiadzianka, Valery Vusik. As a result, Judge Aksana Zahorskaya ruled to dismiss the case, rejecting the presented police reports.

18.09.2013 European Parliament announced Sakharov prize nominees

Members of the European Parliament announced seven candidates for the Sakharov prize at a joint session of the Parliament’s foreign affairs committee and the human rights sub-committee.

17.09.2013 Lithuania’s MFA: Release of political prisoners is paramount

Lithuania hopes for improvement of EU-Belarus relations.

17.09.2013 Supreme Court confirms death verdict for Pavel Sialiun

The Supreme Court dismissed today an appeal against the death sentence handed down on June 12 by the Hrodna Regional Court to Pavel Sialiun, who found guilty of committing four criminal offences, including double murder, theft and desecration of corpses.

17.09.2013 Ihar Ptichkin was beaten by riot control group

Some details about the death of a Valadarka prison inmate became known.

17.09.2013 Homel human rights defender demands compensation for four illegal administrative penalties

Homel human rights defender Leanid Sudalenka filed a lawsuit to Tsentralny District Court to demand moral damages in the amount of 29 million rubles from head of the Chief Finance Department of Homel region. He also asks to recover court fees and the administrative penalty of 600,000 rubles.

17.09.2013 Mahiliou Regional Court rejects appeal of BSDP activist Mikalai Zalozny

Mahiliou Regional Court considered yesterday an appeal of the Belarusian Social Democratic Party (Hramada) and its activist Mikalai Zalozny lodged to contest an earlier ruling by Leninski District Court of Mahiliou of 31 May, 2013 on a statement made by head of the city’s dormitory system, Pavel Shyshou, who named the party a “gang” in his interview to the BelaPAN news agency.

16.09.2013 Viktar Hanchar and Anatol Krasouski kidnapped 14 years ago

The guilty of kidnapping of the oppositionists haven’t been punished in spite of proofs and evidences.

16.09.2013 Yaromenak and Parfiankou arrested for five days

Uladzimir Yaromenak and Vasil Parfiankou have been serving administrative detention since September 16, after Judge Yury Harbatouski of Minsk’s Pershamaiski District Court sentenced the activists to for five days of arrest on charges of disobeying the terms of preventive supervision (Article 24.12 of the Administrative Code).

16.09.2013 Minsk court convicts participants of memorial protest

The Court of Minsk’s Tsentralny district heard today the charges brought against five participants of a protest staged on Saturday outside the detention center in Valadarski Street, where a prisoner named Ihar Ptsichkin died earlier this summer.