The Human Rights Center “Viasna”

News for January 2015

09.01.2015 Baranavichy: human rights activists appeals unlawful actions of the court on Dmiztry Paloika's case

Human rights activist Siarhei Housha filed anappeal with the chairman of the Brest Regional Court on the illegal actions of Baranavichy City Court. The human rights activist points that he has learned from the press that his friend Dzmitry Paloika, who returned from Ukraine to Baranavichy, was arrested and placed in a remand prison.

09.01.2015 Hrodna Regional Court turns down Andrei Mialeshka's appeal

January 8, Hrodna Regional Court dismissed the appeal of the journalist Andrei Mialeshka against a fine. Judge Anatol Zayats supported the court of the first instance and left its verdict unchanged.

08.01.2015 Elena Tonkacheva challenges her expulsion from Belarus (updated)

Today, January 8, the Pershamaiski District court of Minsk considers the appeal of human rights activist Elena Tonkacheva, Chair of the Center for Legal Transformation Lawtrend, who challenges the decision of the Pershamaiski District Police Department about her expulsion from Belarus.

08.01.2015 Ministry of Information says it has no powers to interfere in professional activities of the media

Homel human rights activists Maryia Klimovich and Ales Yauseyenka have received a response to their appeal to the Information Ministry. The applicants asked the Ministry to inform the editors of state owned media in any way possible about the inadmissibility of indicating the nationality of perpetrators of crimes and consciously shaping the image of a "criminal nation".

08.01.2015 Minsk believers not allowed to church for Orthodox Christmas mass

As reported by a coordinator of the organizing committee of the Belarusian Christian Democracy Valeryia Charamortsava, in the morning of January 7, the police refused to let Orthodox believers in the St. Spirit Cathedral.

08.01.2015 Ryhor Kastusiou can't receive motivating part of the verdict

January 5, the BPF Deputy Head Ryhor Kostuseufiled a preliminary application with the Mahiliou Regional Court against the verdict of the Shklou District Court of December 23, 2014, according to which he was punished with a fine for participation in the Memorial Day of the Kalinouski rebels in Svislachon October 26, 2014.

08.01.2015 Ales Bialiatski: free speech is killed in many different ways

January 8, Head of the Human Rights Center "Viasna" Ales Bialiatski and his colleagues came to the French Embassy in Minsk, to lay flowers and light a candle in memory of the victims of the terrorist attack in the editorial office of the satirical magazine Charlie Hebdo, which took place the day before in Paris.

06.01.2015 Ales Bialiatski: In many respects, an optimistic scenario in 2015 depends on the activeness of Belarusians

The head of the Human Rights Centre "Viasna" and Vice-President of the International Federation for Human Rights spoke about his mood and forecasts for the new year.

06.01.2015 Political activists eager to hold 18 pickets in Brest

The initiative of holding 18 pickets against the economic policy of the Belarusian authorities belongs to the local activists of the United Civil Party and adherents of democratic transformations in the country.

06.01.2015 Art centre TSEKH evicted

BelSwissBank, the owner of the premises rented by TSEKH art centre, says it won't prolong the rental agreement. Art centre founder Yuliya Darashkevich wrote it on Facebook.

05.01.2015 Ihar Lohvinau: “We still remain a country in which book publishers are put into the debt trap”

January 5 at 3 p.m., the trial of the bookstore "Lohvinau" begins at the Economic Court of Minsk.

03.01.2015 Vasil Paliakou: Thorough searches on the border are politically motivated discrimination

January 2, deputy chairman of the United Civil Party Vasil Paliakoufiled an appeal to the Chairman of the State Customs Committee, asking to hold an inspection, give a legal assessment of the actions of officers of the Ashmiany customs and report about the reasons why he had been subjected to personal inspection by them.

03.01.2015 Hrodna prosecutors justify the use of force by “voluntary police aide”

Civil society activist from Hrodna Volha Krapotsina has received a response from the Hrodna City Prosecutor's Office to her complaint, in which she asked to verify the legitimacy of actions of citizen Uladzimir Harelau and representatives of the police and give them a proper legal assessment.

02.01.2015 Statkevich Sr. congratulated on the New Year

January 1, Baranavichy social activists and human rights defenders and congratulated Viktar Statkevich, the father of the political prisoner and ex-presidential candidate Mikalai Statkevich on the New Year. This is the fifth New Year Viktar Statkevich has to celebrate without his son.

02.01.2015 Baranavichy: human rights defender appeals a picket ban

Human rights activist Siarhei Housha has filed a complaint to the Baranavichy City Court against the decision of the Baranavichy City Executive Committee according to which he has been prohibited to hold a picket dedicated to the 66th anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.