The Human Rights Center “Viasna”

News for May 2014

21.05.2014 UN Human Rights Committee rules against government in Zhlobin oppositionist’s case

On March 28, the UN Human Rights Committee said that the Belarusian authorities violated the right of a member of the Zhlobin office of the Belarusian Left Party “Fair World” Uladzimir Kirsanau to freedom of peaceful assembly by prohibiting him in 2008 to hold a picket in Zhlobin in order to attract public attention to problems faced by the country’s political parties and public associations.

21.05.2014 The case of Ivan Famin: Innocently executed

In 1998, the Human Rights Center “Viasna”, which was then called “Viasna-96”, received a complaint from the mother of Ivan Famin, who was sentenced to death. The woman gave the human rights defenders several letters that were written on death row and were passed through so called prison mail.

21.05.2014 International Trade Union Confederation: Belarus among worst countries for workers

Belarus, together with Bangladesh and Cambodia, is among the countries constantly violating labor rights, says a survey published by the International Trade Union Confederation.

21.05.2014 Another detention in Minsk

Football fan Yauhen Manko, 20, was detained on May 8. The Savetski District Court of Minsk sentenced him to 20 days of administrative arrest. The young man is now serving the sentence in the detention center in Akrestsin Street.

20.05.2014 Journalist Ales Zaleuski to stand trial for working for Belsat TV

The journalist will stand trial in Karelichy District Court on May 28.

20.05.2014 Journalist Sentenced to Ten Days' Arrest for “Hooliganism”

Yauhen Skrabets, a member of BAJ, journalist for the Belarusian Radio Racyja and activist of the Young Front movement, was detained on Saturday, May 17, not far from his home in Brest and accused of minor hooliganism (article 17.1 of the Administrative Code).

20.05.2014 Opposition activist Zmitser Dashkevich leaves jail after completing 25-day term

Prominent opposition activist Zmitser Dashkevich was released from a detention center in Minsk on Monday evening upon completion of a 25-day jail term.

20.05.2014 Vitsebsk Regional Court rejects appeal by editor of independent paper

Heorhi Stankevich, a teacher and poet of the town of Beshankovichy, was going to challenge the decision of the district court, who on April 3 fined him 7.5 million rubles for the production and distribution of the newspaper Kryvinka.

20.05.2014 Civil Rights Defenders leader detained at Čyžouka Arena

Robert Hårdh, Executive Director of Sweden’s Civil Rights Defenders human rights group, arrived yesterday in Minsk to meet with the head of the Swedish Hockey Federation Christer Englund at Čyžouka Arena, where Sweden played Italy as part of the World Championship.

19.05.2014 While the World Ice Hockey Championship takes place, violations continue… Video n°2

Belarus is hosting the World Ice Hockey Championship, which started last Friday and will end on 25 May. FIDH has made 3 short animated films to denounce the human rights violations taking place in Belarus. These abuses cannot be camouflaged by the Championship.

19.05.2014 Civil Rights Defenders on their way to Minsk in support of Ales Bialiatski

Almost four years has elapsed since Robert Hårdh, Executive Director of Civil Rights Defenders was last in Belarus. In 2010 to monitor the Belarusian election together with Ales Bialiatski – 2014 to highlight the fact that Ales has been behind bars since 4 August 2011 on trumped up charges.

19.05.2014 Homel activist appeals picket ban to UN Human Rights Committee

Yury Varonezhtsau, a known public and political figure in Homel, submitted today a complaint to the UN Human Rights Committee to appeal against a ban on a street procession in support of political prisoner Ales Bialiatski.

19.05.2014 Food Not Bombs activist sentenced to 15 days of arrest

The court of Minsk’s Partyzanski district considered today the administrative case of Aliaksandr Kurets, an activist of the Food Not Bombs campaign.

19.05.2014 Journalist stands trial in Brest

Yauhen Skrabets was detained on May 17 near the house where he lives. He told about this in a text message, saying that he was held in the Leninski district police department of Brest.

19.05.2014 Klimavichy resident fined over criticism of administrative commission

The administrative commission of the Klimavichy District Executive Committee punished Alena Marchanka, a resident of the village of Damamerychy, by a fine of 2,250,000 rubles. The decision was taken at a meeting held on May 13.