The Human Rights Center “Viasna”

News for November 2014

20.11.2014 Rights of BPF activist violated, says UN Human Rights Committee

The United Nations Human Rights Committee has found a violation of the right to peaceful assembly and information in the case of BPF member Siarhei Lazenka. The activist sent his individual communication back in 2008.

20.11.2014 Another activist faces charges over unsanctioned rally in Svislach

On November 18, Anton Mekh, 17, son of activist Aliaksandr Mekh from Kobryn, received a summons from a police officer, saying that he would have to visit the police department over an unauthorized rally in Svislach.

20.11.2014 Asipovichy officials hunt “parasites”

A working group has been formed in Asipovichy district to intensify the monitoring of unemployed people. The group aims at “meeting the demands of the head of state to adopt stringent measures to eliminate dependency and parasitism, implementing the provisions of Article 56 of the Constitution, providing for the obligation of citizens to participate in the financing of public expenses,” according to the website of the newspaper Asipovitski Krai.

19.11.2014 Journalists and activists in Vitsebsk face charges over photos

Several journalists in Vitsebsk were photographed against a background image on the wall of a building – the image of three cages and a paper bird leaving the cages. The people in the photographs are holding paper birds or cages. Now they are invited to the police station and charged with an administrative offense.

Ales Bialiatski: “Back in June, Intigam Aliyev was wearing a T-shirt with my portrait, now it’s me who’s wearing a T-shirt with his portrait” (video)

19.11.2014 Ales Bialiatski: “Back in June, Intigam Aliyev was wearing a T-shirt with my portrait, now it’s me who’s wearing a T-shirt with his portrait” (video)

A group of civil society representatives and lawyers in Azerbaijan have petitioned the country’s President Ilham Aliyev with a call to assist in the release of prominent human rights activist Intigam Aliyev, head of the Legal Education Society.

19.11.2014 Activist in Hrodna fined over Ukraine solidarity flyers

On 18 November, the Leninski District Court of Hrodna considered the administrative case of local activist Volha Krapotsina, who was detained on 19 September when handing out leaflets in support of Ukraine. Judge Dzmitry Bubenchyk found the activist guilty of “illicit manufacturing and distributing of printed materials” (Art. 22.9, Part 2 of the Administrative Code) and fined her 4.5 million rubles.

19.11.2014 Homel Regional Court turns down appeal of Young Front activist

The Homel Regional Court considered yesterday an appeal lodged by co-chair of the Young Front opposition movement Andrei Tsianiuta against a decision of the Tsentralny District Court, who earlier dismissed his complaint. The defendant in the case was the Homel State University, from where the activist was expelled.

19.11.2014 Court to hear appeal of Yury Rubtsou on 21 November

An appeal lodged by opposition activist Yury Rubtsou, who was sentenced to 18 months of detention in a correctional labor camp, will be considered by the Minsk City Court on November 21.

18.11.2014 Human rights defenders from Homel appealed to the UN special rapporteur on extrajudicial killings

Homel Center for Strategic litigation sent a message to Christof Heyns, the UN Special Rapporteur on extrajudicial killings. Human rights defenders in the report inform the Special Rapporteur on the serving an execution in respect of Homel resident Alexander Hrunou, which individual complaint is pending before the United Nations Human Rights Committee.

18.11.2014 United Nations Human Rights Committee has adopted a new comment on the right to liberty and security of person

During its 112th session United Nations Human Rights Committee adopted new general comment number 35 on Art. 9 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights: the right to liberty and security of person.

18.11.2014 Andrei Tychyna charged with porno peddling

Police of Salihorsk formal charged with the porno materials peddling the local activist of the Young Front Andrei Tychyna. One of the episodes of the case was the discovery of the video clip of popular Belarusian band "Boy’s Broken Heart" (Разбітае Сэрца Пацана) on the song "Wall-E" on Tychyna’s page in the social network.

17.11.2014 Activist from Mahileu complained to the prosecutor about the web abuse

About Anton Kastsou as about other socio-political activists of Mahileu were posted abusive information on the site voskresinfo.com.

17.11.2014 The policemen returned to "Dzetsiuki" video materials and props

Directed Anton Tsialezhnikau, shot video clip for the group "Dzetsiuki", said that police officers returned the video materials and some of the props that had previously confiscated.

17.11.2014 The court fined Yuras Belenki for the meeting Dziady

On November 17 the court of Pershamaisky district of Minsk started the trial of the deputy chairman of the Conservative Christian Party BNF Yuras Belenki.