The Human Rights Center “Viasna”

News for December 2013

12.12.2013 Only photos are left from condemned cell in Baku

In Azerbaijan, the death penalty hasn't been used since 1998 , and Bailov prison, where death convicts were kept, was destroyed in July 2009. The building where the convicts were executed can be seen only in photos, as a reminder of barbarism.

12.12.2013 Pressurization of Mikalai Statkevich continues

With the onset of the cold season, the radiators suddenly stopped working in the cell of the political prisoner, former presidential candidate Mikalai Statkevich. Heating has been missing in this and the two neighboring cells for more than 4 days.

12.12.2013 Illia Dabratvor got detained

At about 8 p.m. on 9 December the police came to Illia Dabratvor's home, saying they needed to draw up a report of questioning. Only Illia's wife and minor children were at home, that's why the police tried to find where the activist was and why he was absent.

12.12.2013 Judge presents a fine to human rights defender Pyotr Ivanov on the 65th anniversary of the Declaration of Human Rights

Pyotr Ivanov held an action to mark the Human Rights Day, 10 December. He came to the center of Vitsebsk and handed out about 50 copies of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, adopted 65 years ago by the UN General Assembly.

11.12.2013 Homel: human rights defenders mark the Human Rights Day by a meeting with people

Regional representatives of the Belarusian Helsinki Committee, the Human Rights Center “Viasna”, the Homel city orgnization of the republican public association "Legal Initiative" and the Homel Center for Strategic Litigation took floor during the meeting. The speakers noted that "man has no rights if he does not strive for their protection".

11.12.2013 Human rights defenders remind about the right to life on Human Rights Day

10 December is marked as Human Rights Day. On this occasion, the Barys Zvoskau Belarusian Human Rights House and the Embassy of the Kingdom of Netherlands in Vilnius held a public discussion on the criminal justice system and the death penalty in Belarus.

11.12.2013 Austrian human rights activists dedicate their annual report to Ales Bialiatski

On 10 December in Vienna Austrian League for Human Rights, an affiliate of the FIDH, presented its final report "Conclusions on Human Rights in 2013» («Menschenrechtsbefund 2013"), declaring that it is dedicated to the FIDH vice-President Ales Bialiatski.

11.12.2013 Ales Bialiatski: “All prizes and awards are an eloquent signal for all people of good and bad will in Belarus!”

Ales Bialiatski responded to news about the ceremony, at which his son, Adam Bialiatski, received the symbolic award of the status of a honorable citizen of Paris to his father.

11.12.2013 Ihar Pastnou: “Probably, I will be taken to hospital again, with a “worsening of psychic illness”

Vitsebsk medician Ihar Pastnou recorded a new video message to his countrymen. He again criticizes Vitsebsk medicine for low wages, speaks of human rights violations in the light of the current law "On psychiatric care" and the need for changes in the law.

11.12.2013 One-man picket in support of political prisoners held in Dziarzhynsk

On 8 December Aliaksandr Tarnahurski, an activist of the campaign “Together for Belarus”, held a picket in the center of the town of Dziarzhynsk.

11.12.2013 Human rights defenders congratulate Baranavichy residents on Human Rigths Day

Despite an official ban on the 10 December picket, human rights defenders and social activists held a rally in Baranavicjhy in honor of the 65th anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. The activists handed out booklets with the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, as well as information materials on human rights issues.

11.12.2013 Members of Brest City Councils ignore electors' appeals

About 40 members of the Brest City Council failed to respond in the term specified by the Law “On Citizens' Applications” to the applications submitted by members of the public initiative “Social Office”.

11.12.2013 Brest police hold a prophylactic talk with Ryhor Hryk

On 10 December the head of the Baranavichy branch of the Trade Union of Radio Electronic Industry Ryhor Hryk was summoned for a prophylactic talk at the police station No. 3 Kasmanauty Street, 6.

11.12.2013 Brest: two pickets held on Human Rigths Day

One of the pickets was organized by the chair of the Brest regional branch of the Trade Union of Radio Electronic Industry Zinaida Mikhniuk, and the other – by the human rights activist Uladzimir Vialichkin. At the picket organized by the TUREI, the people spoke about the protection of workers' rights, while participants of the other one demanded freedom for political prisoners, holding posters with portraits of political prisoners and postcards with Ales Bialiatski behind bars.