The Human Rights Center “Viasna”

News for December 2013

11.12.2013 Babruisk activists congratulate Ales Bialiatski on Human Rights Day

On 10 December Babruisk activists a congratulatory telegram to Babruisk penal colony No. 2.

11.12.2013 Political prisoner Ihar Alinevich is first winner of Frantsishak Aliakhnovich prize

On 10 December, Human Rights Day, the Belarusian PEN Center and Radio "Liberty" announced the winners of the Frantsishak Aliakhnovich award for the best work written in prison.

10.12.2013 Uladzimir Shytsikau awarded with a fine on Human Rights Day

On 3 November Homel democratic activists commemorated the victims of Stalinist repression at the 9th kilometer of the highway to Chernihiv.

10.12.2013 Human Rights Alliance announces the winners in its nominations

The results of the third yearly nomination have been announced by the Human Rights Alliance.

10.12.2013 Body of Ihar Ptsichkin exhumed

According to Ihar's relatives, the exhumation was conducted on 4 December. The results of the re-autopsy will be known in a month.

10.12.2013 Political prisoner Eduard Lobau met with his mother

Eduard Lobau, who is serving the imprisonment term in the penal colony number 22 in Ivacevichy, was allowed a long-term meeting with mother.

10.12.2013 Investigative Committee “sees no reasons” to punish the personnel of Mahiliou penitentiary for torture

Minsk resident Liudmila Kuchura, whose husband was tortureed with chlorine in the penitentiary No. 15 in Mahiliou, received a reply from the Investigative Committee of the Republic of Belarus to the complaint in which she requested to initiate a criminal case on this fact.

10.12.2013 Minskers are congratulated on Human Rights Day

Traditionally, on 10 December, International Human Rights Day, human rights activists and volunteers hold information actions in Minsk. This time they handed out the texts of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, printed materials on the topic of the death penalty and answered questions relating to the human rights situation in Belarus.

10.12.2013 Illia Dabratvor summonsed to police on Human Rights Day

Late in the evening of 9 December the police came to the apartment of the activist of the solidarity movement "Together" Illia Dabratvor. However, only his wife and minor children were at home at that time. The woman was told that there was an urgent need to compose a report of questioning of here husband and was questioned why her husband was still not home.

10.12.2013 FIDH and "Viasna" present the report "Forced Labor and the Pervasive Violation of Workers’ Rights in Belarus" on the Human Rights Day

Belarus authorities use of every means possible to feed the country’s economy to the detriment of its citizens’ economic and social rights. Internationally publicized as the «last European socialist paradise», Belarus forces large portions of its population to work, sometimes without pay and especially without the possibility to protest harsh or unfair conditions. These are the main observations of a report published today by FIDH and HRC Viasna.

09.12.2013 Dismissed activist of the independent trade union to receive 1 million rubles as a compensation

Luninets District Court partially granted the claim of Leanid Dubanosau who was fired from the enterprise in Mikashevichy.

09.12.2013 Ihar Pastnou applies to the Supreme Court

Vitsebsk medic attempts to challenge the decision of the Vitsebsk District Court, which sanctioned his compulsory psychiatric treatment in the absence of Mr. Pastnou and his lawyer. The appeals to the regional court and to the head of the regional court yielded no results.

09.12.2013 Not a minute for human rights in Vitsebsk

Human rights activist Pavel Levinau was prohibited to hold pickets on Human Rights Day, 10 December. He filed applications for the authorization of one-minute actions, but the district authorities rejected his applications.

09.12.2013 Bialynichy activists started marking the Human Rights Day by distributing texts of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights

On the eve of Human Rights Day civil activists of the town of Bialynichy started distributing the Universal Declaration of Human Rights among the local dwellers.

09.12.2013 Uladzimir Yaromenak to be imprisoned on 11 December

Today Uladzimir Yaromenak has been informed about the day when he will start serving three months arrest. He must come to the Pershamaiski District Police Department with his personal belongings on 11 December. From there he will be taken to the prison in Valadarski Street.