The Human Rights Center “Viasna”

News for December 2014

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.

16.12.2014 Convicts in Vitsebsk photo session case appeal fines

Six residents of Vitsebsk, who were found guilty of participating in an unsanctioned picket for appearing in a photo on the background of a graffiti, are asking the Regional Court to overturn the penalties previously imposed on them. They also ask to cancel the proceedings opened over lack of official permission to be photographed in a public place.

16.12.2014 Vasil Parfiankou: I spent only 29 days in the colony’s residential area

Former political prisoner Vasil Parfiankou, who has been released after serving his sentence in penal colony No. 9 in Horki, told about the conditions of detention in the colony and about the preventive supervision he has been subjected for a period of one year.

16.12.2014 Journalist Ales Zaleuski summoned to Prosecutor’s Office

It is possible that the two administrative sentences imposed on independent journalist Ales Zaleuski will be followed by a prosecutorial warning, according to the press service of the Belarusian Association of Journalists.

16.12.2014 Swedish NGOs: Minister of Justice Must Withdraw Request to Liquidate Society Memorial

Concerned over the fact that the Society Memorial could be closed down as a result of on-going proceedings initiated by the Ministry of Justice in Russia, Civil Rights Defenders, together with three Swedish human rights organisations – Amnesty International Sweden, The Swedish Foundation for Human Rights and Östgruppen – sent an open letter to the Minister of Justice, Aleksandr Konovalov on 16 December.

16.12.2014 UN: 4,707 people killed since beginning of conflict in eastern Ukraine

The United Nations Human Rights Monitoring Mission in Ukraine in its eighth monthly report said that 4,707 people were killed since the beginning of the conflict in eastern Ukraine in mid-April, and 10,322 people were injured during the same period.

16.12.2014 Constitutional Court advises the mother of an executed death row convict to appeal to MPs, the Government and President

The mother of an executed resident of Homel Aliaksandr Hrunou, has received an answer from the Constitutional Court.

16.12.2014 Kanstantsin Dzmitryieu is another fined participant of the memorial event in Svislach

An activist of the United Civil Party Kanstantsin Dzmitryieu is the tenth person who has been fined for participation in the Day of Commemoration of the participants of the Kalinouski uprising in 1863-1864 in Svislach.

16.12.2014 Leader of the Homel “Fair World” branch sues medics

Chairman of the Homel regional organization of the Belarusian Party of the Left "Fair World" Uladzimir Siakerka appeals the actions of the duty officials of the city ambulance station at the Tsentralny District Court of Homel. The lawsuit is related to the inability to hold public events in Homel.

16.12.2014 Baranavichy activists congratulate political prisoners on Christmas and New Year

Baranavichy civil society activists have sent colored postcards with Christmas and New Year congratulations to the political prisoners Ihar Alinevich, Mikalai Dziadok, Eduard Lobau, Artsiom Prakapenka, Mikalai Statkevich and Yauhen Vaskovich.