The Human Rights Center “Viasna”

News for March 2014

12.03.2014 Babruisk journalist to be tried for covering anti-war picket

Maryna Mauchanava, a journalist for the “Babruiski Kur'er” newspaper, covered an anti-war picket on March 6.

12.03.2014 Anatol Liabedzka fined about $400 for picket to support Ukraine

Minsk's Savetski district court found the leader of the United Civil Party guilty of holding an unsanctioned picket. Judge Yakubouski issued a fine of 30 basic units to the politician.

12.03.2014 Journalist detained in Homel for talking to people

The police detained Anatol Hatouchyts at the central railway station in Homel on March 12.

12.03.2014 Editor of “Dniaprouskaya Prauda” accuses candidates of calling to coup d'etat

The district state-owned newspaper “Dniaprouskaya Prauda” refused to publish the pre-electoral program and biography of the Vitsebsk activist Aliaksei Haurutsikau. Its editor stated that the program contained “hidden calls to state overturn”.

12.03.2014 Orsha: candidate cannot get printing house publish campaigning leaflets

A candidate from the Belarusian Popular Front, Orsha resident Ihar Kazmiarchak, has been trying to get the Orsha printing house print his campaigning materials for a week already.

12.03.2014 Hrodna Regional Court dismisses the appeal of UCP members

March 11, Hrodna Regional Court considered the appeal of the activists of the United Civil Party Aliaksandra Davidovich, Yezhy Hryhencha and Aliaksandr Vasilevichagainst the verdict of Judge Alena Piatrova, who sentenced them to fines for allegedly holding an unauthorized picket on February 7.

12.03.2014 Vadzim Saranchukou deprived of candidate status

Vadzim Saranchukou, the only candidate of the Belarusian Popular Front for the Hrodna City Council, was deprived of the status of candidate by the Hrodna City Election Commission. Mr. Saranchukou was told about this at a meeting of the commission.

12.03.2014 Homel: electoral picket of UCP candidate suffers a hooligan attack

March 11, candidate for the Homel City Council at the Studentskaya election constituency, member of the United Civil Party Zmitser Karpenka, held an electoral picket.

12.03.2014 Biography of candidate censored in Mahiliou

The candidate, activist of the Independent Trade Union of Radio-Electronic Industry Aliaksei Paulouski, has filed complaints to the Yamnitskaya constituency election commission No, 35 and the Mahliou City Election Commission.

11.03.2014 BPF activist detained for white-red-white flag

March 11, BPF party’s candidate for Minsk city local council Yauhen Rybakou was detained at the site near Minsk Philharmonic Society building.

11.03.2014 Political prisoner Uladzimir Yaromenak released from detention facility

Last August, Minsk's Pershamaiski district court found Yaromenak guilty of violating the rules of preventive supervision and sentenced him to three months in detention. Uladzimir and his lawyer appealed against the court decision, but the Minsk city court upheld the ruling. Yaromenak was taken into custody on December 11.

11.03.2014 “BelaPAN” to be tried instead of “Uzgorak” newspaper

The trial of BelaPAN’s case has been scheduled for 27 March.

11.03.2014 Political prisoner Mikalai Statkevich is kept in solitary confinement

Former presidential candidate Mikalai Statkevich is not sure of his safety in prison. He asked to be moved to a solitary cell. He wrote it to his wife Maryna Adamovich, RFE/RL reports.

11.03.2014 Homel police detained social activist for distributing information for owners of private houses

March 10 in Homel the police detained an activist of the public initiative “Our Alternative” Andrei Papou who distributed the informational booklets “Don't Let Them Cheat You”, with information about the laws related to the dismantlement of private houses on the order of the authorities.

10.03.2014 Situation of Human Rights in Belarus in February 2014

Despite heated debates around the issue of political prisoners, their fate in February remained unchanged. There were no positive dynamics in other sensitive areas of human rights in Belarus. The situation remained stably frozen and poor.