19.01.2015 Brest authorities ban series of pickets against financial crisis and for resignation of President

According to Uladzimir Vuyek, deputy chairman of the United Civil Party and the party’s leader in Brest, activists and supporters of the party have submitted 18 applications for holding pickets.

19.01.2015 Parents of Belarusian-language pupils in Baranavichy petition Prosecutor General over discrimination

Parents of pupils of the former Belarusian-language class in Baranavichy have sent an appeal to the Prosecutor General of the Republic of Belarus. The appeal notes that the Baranavichy city executive committee, the administration of school No. 4, the Brest Regional Executive Committee and the Ministry of Education of Belarus denied them the right to education of their children in the state Belarusian language provided by the legislation and international standards.

19.01.2015 Vitsebsk journalists and activists keep appealing fines in photo session case

Having labeled a photo session on a background of graffiti as unauthorized picketing, the Chyhunachny District Court of Vitebsk fined six participants. Attempts to appeal this decision to the Regional Court have so far brought no success. The fines are now being appealed to the chairman of the Regional Court.

19.01.2015 Activist to stand trial in Brest

As told by Andrei Sharenda, he was detained on a city bus on January 16. The policemen said that the activist supposedly looked like a man who had committed an offense and took him to the Maskouski police department of Brest.

16.01.2015 Political prisoner Vaskovich waits for permission for long-term meeting

The mother of the political prisoner waits for a meeting with her son.

Rushania Vaskovich said it to charter97.org in an interview.

16.01.2015 Journalist summoned to police in Svetlahorsk

On January 16, an official summons to the Svetlahorsk police department was received by local member of the Belarusian Association of Journalists Larysa Schyrokava. She is expected to appear as a witness at the police department on January 19, according to the press service of the Belarusian Association of Journalists.

16.01.2015 Andrei Sharenda detained in Brest

An opposition activist is charged with making printed materials.

16.01.2015 Border guards search car of human rights defender in Hrodna

On January 16, human rights activist Viktar Sazonau was stopped by border guards as he was crossing the Bruzgi border crossing in Hrodna region. Viktar Sazonau was returning from Poland, when his car carrying two more with civil society activists was stopped and sent for an examination.

16.01.2015 Mahiliou court dismisses case against security guard who prevented distribution of independent newspaper

On January 15, the Kastrychnitski District Court of Mahiliou held the third hearing in the case against Dzmitry Prokharau, a security guard of the 777 store, who prevented activist Viktar Charavukhin from distributing the Novy Chas newspaper.

16.01.2015 Council of Republic justifies ban on issuing bodies of executed prisoners for burial

Volha Hrunova, mother of Aliaksandr Hrunou, who was executed on charges of murder, received first answers to her requests about the need to change legislation prohibiting relatives to bury the bodies of executed prisoners. Liliya Maroz, Chairperson of the Standing Committee for legislation and state construction of the National Assembly, says there are no contradictions of the national legislation with the country’s Constitution and the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, according to gomelspring.org.

15.01.2015 Preliminary hearing on appeal against human rights picket held in Baranavichy

January 15, a preliminary hearing on the appeal of the human rights activist Siarhei Housha against the ban on his picket, issued by Baranavichy City Eecutive Committee on December 5, 2014, took place at the Baranavichy City and District Court.

15.01.2015 Östgruppen: verdict on Tonkacheva's case has a clear political motivation

Representatives of the Swedish organization Östgruppen comment on the verdict of the Minsk court which refused to cancel the earlier court decision to deport human rights activist Elena Tonkacheva from Belarus.

15.01.2015 Svetlahorsk police pay interest to the role of journalists during a picket

January 15, civil society activist Yury Liashenka was summoned to the Svetlahorsk District Police Department for a “talk”. On his demand he was issued with a writ where his status was indicated as “witness”.

15.01.2015 Brest Regional Court turns down Ales Mekh's appeal

On January 15, the Brest Regional Court considered the appeal of the civil society activist Ales Mekh against the verdict of the Kobryn District Court, according to which he was found guilty of participating in an unauthorized mass event (honoring of the rebels of 1863, held on October 26, 2014 in the town of Svislach and the village of Yakushouka in Hrodna region) and sentenced to a fine.

15.01.2015 A video shooting about direction of people to forced “treatment” against alcoholism

The Human Rights Centre "Viasna" received a small video about the direction of a group of people who allegedly suffer from alcoholism to activity therapy centres. The video was shot at the end of 2014 near the detention center in Akrestsin Street.