The Human Rights Center “Viasna”

News for August 2014

13.08.2014 Committee for Solidarity with Ukraine intends to tell Donbass residents about life conditions in Belarus

“This fall, the Committee is planning a trip to Eastern Ukraine with the participation of bards, poets and filmmakers," told Radio “Liberty” a member of the Committee, film director Volha Mikalaichyk.

13.08.2014 Unidentified activists mark Mikalai Statkevich's birthday with fireworks at prison walls

The fireworks were launched in the evening on 12 August near the building of Mahilou prioson No 4, where Mikalaj Statkievich is kept at the moment.

13.08.2014 Homel court to consider appeal of Radio “Racyja” correspondent

In Homel, journalist of Radio “Racyja” Mikalai Bianko received a writ for August 26. At 10 a.m. he is to come to the Tsentralny District Court of Homel for consideration of his appeal against Homel Regional Prosecutor's Office.

13.08.2014 Journalist Oleksiy Matsuka: “In Donetsk, any passer-by can be shelled by a sniper”

Hostilities in Donetsk are going on. The night of 12-13 August was quite hard, shells damaged houses, five civilians were wounded in the Petrivsky district.

13.08.2014 Lawyer Pavel Sapelka describes nuances of penitentiary statistics

Last week, there were voiced opposite statements about the number of prisoners in Belarus. One of the calculations was voiced by President Lukashenka, the other – by the Internet newspaper “Salidarnasts”. Human rights defenders react to the both of them with reasonable skepticism.

13.08.2014 “Evening of Grief” in Moscow ends with detentions

August 12 Moscow police detained participants of the "Evening of Remembrance and Grief" near the Ukrainian Embassy in Moscow." As reported by the website grani.ru, 30 people were arrested, mostly those who came to the embassy with Ukrainian flags, yellow and blue ribbons and balloons.

Homel human rights activists apply to regional executive committee and police department concerning anti-Roma publications in press

13.08.2014 Homel human rights activists apply to regional executive committee and police department concerning anti-Roma publications in press

Homel human rights defenders Maryia Klimovich and Ales Yauseyenka applied to the main department of ideological work of Homel Regional Executive Committee and Homel Regional Police Department in connection with the anti-Roma publications in the newspaper of the Kastrychnitski District Police Department of Homel “Chyrvony Kastrychnik”.

12.08.2014 KGB wants to know medical secrets of Belarusian citizens

The corresponding document was published by the blogger d-zholik.

12.08.2014 Court declares decisions of Ministry of Culture non-appealable

The Civil Division of the Minsk City Court quashed the decision of the trial court and stopped the trial in the construction of automobile and pedestrian bridge on the protected territory of the Brest Fortress.

12.08.2014 Biaroza activists intend to hold a picket marking legal confirmation of Belarus' state sovereignty

Biaroza human rights defenders applied for a picket. They implemented all legal requirements mentioned in an appropriate regulation of the Biaroza District Executive Committee.

12.08.2014 “Alternative” leader sentenced to ten days of arrest

Aleh Korban, the leader of the public association, has been sentenced to ten days of arrest by the Frunzenski District Court of Minsk.

12.08.2014 Statement of human rights activist Intiqam Aliyev, arrested in Baku

This statement was drafted and distributed by the lawyer Anar Qasimli after a meeting with Intiqam Aliyev in the pretrial detention center in Baku on August 9.

12.08.2014 Vitsebskers take action to congratulate Mikalai Statkevich on his birthday

This night several dozens of posters with the demand to release Mikalai Statkevich have been posted all over Vitsebsk. This is the way his Vitsebsk sympathizers decided to congratulate him on his 58th birthday and remind the public about the existence of political prisoners in Belarus, one of whom Mr. Statkevich currently is.

12.08.2014 Shklou authorities ignore citizens' appeals

August 11, Ryhor Kastusiou personally applied to the Shklou District Prosecutor's Office against the actions of the officials of the local executive committee, which do not fulfill the law on appeals of citizens.

OSCE representative calls on Ukrainian authorities to drop legislative provisions endangering media freedom and free flow of information

12.08.2014 OSCE representative calls on Ukrainian authorities to drop legislative provisions endangering media freedom and free flow of information

VIENNA, 12 August 2014 – OSCE Representative on Freedom of the Media Dunja Mijatović expressed her concern about a draft law on sanctions registered in the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine on 8 August and approved in the first reading today.