The Human Rights Center “Viasna”

News for 17 Dec 2014

17.12.2014 Minsk police uphold decision to expel Alena Tankachova

Thus, the Ministry of the Interior did not use the opportunity to recognize the absurdity of the situation related to the expulsion of the Belarusian human rights activist, according to eurobelarus.info.

17.12.2014 “Human Rights Defenders Against the Death Penalty in Belarus” under patronage of Lithuanian MP

According to Dalia Kuodyte, member of Parliament of Lithuania, she will patronize the campaign “Human Rights Defenders Against the Death Penalty in Belarus” with the intent to distribute information about this issue in the framework of her powers.

17.12.2014 Situation of Human Rights in Belarus in November 2014

November was marked by a tendency of deterioration of the human rights situation. Intensive contacts between the Belarusian authorities and the European Union, its institutions and individual countries, as well as the United States did not lead to specific improvements in this area.

17.12.2014 Historian Svyatlana Kul-Syalvyorstava dismissed from Hrodna university

The labour contract with Svyatlana Kul-Syalvyorstava was not extended because of “not sufficient number of publications”.

17.12.2014 Zaleuski: State makes journalists work illegally

Independent journalist Ales Zaleuski received a warning from a prosecutor after two fines.

17.12.2014 Websites equated to mass media in Belarus

The authorities can completely block any website.

17.12.2014 Russian Supreme Court puts off hearing of suit against Society Memorial

Russia’s Supreme Court has postponed to January 28 the hearing of the lawsuit of the Ministry of Justice demanding the dissolution of the Russian historical and educational society “Memorial”. Representatives of the Ministry of Justice said they did not have enough time to read the documents for the correction of errors found in the activities of the NGO, according to the website of Radio Liberty’s Russian service.

17.12.2014 FIDH celebrates 35th anniversary of CEDAW Convention

To mark the 35th anniversary of the adoption of the international Convention on the Elimination of all forms of DiscriminationAagainst Women (CEDAW), on 18 December 2014, FIDH launches a series of original and creative tools designed by students at the Paris School of Decorative Art. Today, this universal instrument, which has already contributed to enormous gains for women’s rights across the world, remains as relevant as ever.

17.12.2014 Human rights defender Pavel Levinau fined 3.75 mln rubles

Pavel Levinau requested that the trial be postponed due to his illness. But Judge Alena Tsyhankova of the Vitsebsk Chuhunachny District Court considered the request as an attempt to delay the trial. She rejected all the requests by Pavel Levinau and issued two formal warnings for the fact that there were “too many” of them.

17.12.2014 Another convict over Day of Memory in Svislach

On December 16, Aliaksandr Shylin, Chairman of the Svislach District Court, sentenced Aliaksandra Vasilevich, Chair of the Hrodna regional office of the United Civil Party, to a fine of 3.75 mln rubles. This is the eleventh penalty for allegedly participating in an unsanctioned event, which took place on October 26 and the town of Svislach and in Yakushouka.

17.12.2014 Committee to Protect Journalists: China is world's worst jailer of the press

The Committee to Protect Journalists identified 220 journalists in jail around the world in 2014, an increase of nine from 2013. The tally marks the second-highest number of journalists in jail since CPJ began taking an annual census of imprisoned journalists in 1990, and highlights a resurgence of authoritarian governments in countries such as China, Ethiopia, Burma, and Egypt.

17.12.2014 BHC activist in Salihorsk appeals picket ban to Prosecutor’s Office

Leanid Markhotka, a representative of the Belarusian Helsinki Committee in Salihorsk, has filed a complaint with the Prosecutor’s Office to challenge a ban imposed by the district executive committee on a picket expected to be staged on Human Rights Day. The human rights defender also complains about the inadequate actions of an ideology official who classified a decision of the executive committee.

17.12.2014 Andrei Haidukou describes detention conditions in Polatsk and Navapolatsk

Andrei Haidukou, member of the organizing committee of the party Belarusian Christian Democracy, was detained for handing out leaflets on November 21 in Navapolatsk and on November 24 in Polatsk. On November 25, he was sentenced to 10 days in jail, and on December 5 – to another five days. The activist told human rights defenders new details of these arrests and the trials, as well as about the conditions in the detention center of Navapolatsk.

17.12.2014 BPF deputy chair Ryhor Kastusiou to stand trial in Shklou

On 16 December, police officers in Shklou charged deputy chairman of the BPF party Ryhor Kastusiou with an administrative offense allegedly committed by the politician during the celebration of the Day of Remembrance of Kastus Kalinouski rebels in Svislach on October 26, 2014.

17.12.2014 Hrodna Regional Court turns down appeals by civil society activists

On December 16, in the Hrodna Regional Court heard the appeals lodged by local civil society activist Volha Krapotsina and human rights defender and journalist Uladzimir Khilmanovich.