The Human Rights Center “Viasna”

News for March 2014

17.03.2014 UCP picketers to stand trials today

Three participants of yesterday’s picket organized by the United Civil Party, UCP leader Anatol Liabedzka, Uladzimir Ramanouski, head of the Belarusian branch of the international organization "Memorial", and Aliaksandr Arastovich, first deputy chairman of the organizing committee of the Belarusian Social Democratic Party (Narodnaya Hramada), are awaiting trial after they were detained and brought to the detention center in Akrestsin Street. Their charges will be heard at the Savetski District Court of Minsk.

15.03.2014 Homel activist Uladzimir Shytsikau detained for anti-war picketing

March 15, activists of the United Civil Party held an anti-war picket near the large department store “Reshytski”. Its participants held posters with the slogans “We demand honest elections!” “Return elections!”, “23 March – another non-election”.

15.03.2014 Baranavichy: Uladzimir Hundar to be tried on March 21

March 4, Uladzimir Hundar held a one-man picket of solidarity with the Ukrainian people in the center of Baranavichy. The activist came out to the city center with a blue-yellow Ukrainian flag on his shoulders and a large poster “Putin's gang-aggressors – get out of Ukraine and Belarus!”.

15.03.2014 Brest: candidate for deputy not allowed to use additional seals for ballot boxes

Candidate for deputy of the Brest City Council Valiantsina Maltsava intended to buy disposable seals for the money of her electoral fund in order to ensure the safety of ballot boxes for early voting (which takes part during five days before the election day).

15.03.2014 Aliaksandr Artsybashau and Pavel Vinahradau sentenced to large arrest terms

The activists of “Zmena” (the youth wing of “Tell the Truth”) were detained on March 13. Artsybashau drove to the office of the police inspection, where ex-political prisoner Vinahradau came for regular registration.

15.03.2014 Candidates Illia Dabratvor and Anatol Zhylko get detained near the detention center in Akrestsin Street

March 14, Minsk police detained a candidate of the Belarusian Popular Front for the local councils, Illia Dabratvor, and a candidate of the United Civil Party, Anatol Zhylko, near the detention center in Akrestsin Street, where they were meeting ex-political prisoner Zmitser Dashkevich and Yauhen Tsikhanau, who were released after serving 12-day arrest terms for an action of protest against the Russian intervention in the Ukraine.

15.03.2014 Participants of the project “Election observation: theory and practice” detained in Minsk

The project participants Hanna Azemsha and Palina Brodzik were to have held a training for election observers on March 14. They drove to the place of the training by car, carrying the necessary stationery and brochures for observers with them.

15.03.2014 Hrodna: membership in councils as synonym of prosperity

If we pay attention to the social status of the candidates for deputies of the Hrodna City Council, we will find out that almost all of them are high-ranking officials and heads of enterprises who have quite large wages and assets by the Belarusian standards.

14.03.2014 Only five candidates established campaign funds in Babruisk

Only five out of 88 candidates for the district council and the 26 candidates for the regional council used the opportunity to create their own campaign funds.

14.03.2014 Henik Loika appeals linguistic ignorance of KGB officer

Sculptor and public figure Henik Loika has sued the KGB. The reason was the incident when the officer who was keeping his duty at the reception room of the KGB failed to answer to the visitor in the language of his appeal.

14.03.2014 Two opposition activists detained in Minsk

Pavel Vinahradau and Aliaksandr Artsybashau will be tried.

14.03.2014 Vaukavysk resident to be tried for solidarity with Ukraine

A Vaukavysk activist Vital Huliaka held an action against Russia’s intervention in Ukraine’s domestic affairs.

13.03.2014 Mahiliou: woman with two minor children is evicted from dormitory

The appropriate verdict was taken on March 12 by the Leninski District Court of Mahiliou.

13.03.2014 Human rights defenders launch an interactive web resource for election observers

The campaign can be joined by any Belarusian citizen – he/she only has to file an online application form and send the results of observation at a concrete polling station.

13.03.2014 Mahiliou police disrupt action “For Decent Roads”

The organizer of the spring action of motorists Illia Palonnikau was given administrative charges, the police took away two laptops during the examination of his apartment.