The Human Rights Center “Viasna”

News for March 2015

06.03.2015 Siarhei Housha's cassation appeal to be considered March 19

As follows from a letter, signed by Judge Volha Apanovich, the cassation appeal of the Baranavichy human rights activist S. Housha concerning the prohibition of a picket on Human Rights Day will be considered by the judicial board on civil cases of Brest Regional Court on March 19 at 11 a.m.

06.03.2015 Freelance journalist summoned to trial by SMS

Tamara Shchapiotkina was summoned to court twice. At 8.30 p.m. on March 4 he was called by a man who introduced himself as police inspector Rachynski from Brest and told that she needed to appear at the Leninski District Court of Brest in the morning of March 5.

06.03.2015 Judges don't fall under the jurisdiction of the courts

Judge of the Leninski District Court of Minsk Veranika Abramovich refused to instigate a criminal case on request of political prisoner Yury Rubtsou for recovery of moral damages of a judge of the same court, Kiryl Palulekh.

06.03.2015 Brest: investigative authorities don't disclose information about the criminal case brought for defamation of President

Brest Regional Department of the Investigative Committee just confirmed bringing a criminal case under Article 367, part 1 of the Criminal Code (defamation of the President of the Republic of Belarus) and carrying out investigative activities, including a number of expert studies.

06.03.2015 Mahiliou residents continue struggling for their apartments. Prosecutor's office sides with executive committee

Mahiliou Prosecutor's Office believes that the dwelling house No. 59 in Leninskaya Street was given the status of a “hostel” lawfully. This is stated in an answer to a collective appeal, signed by the first deputy prosecutor of the Mahiliou region Pimashkou.

06.03.2015 Mahiliou residents protest against prohibition of mass events

An appropriate statement was submitted to the head of the Mahiliou City Executive Committee Uladzimir Tsumarau by the deputy head of the Mahiliou regional branch of the Belarusian Leftist Party “Fair World” Valery Beraziyenka, the head of the Mahiliou city branch of the Belarusian Free Trade Union of Steelworkers Ales Serdziukou and a representative of the Independent Trade Union of Radio Electronic Industry in the Mahiliou region Aliaksei Yauhenau.

06.03.2015 Death penalty in theory and practice. Comments to the National Report

The National Report for the Universal Periodic Review (second cycle), prepared by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, has been published.

06.03.2015 Ales Bialiatski: human rights are universal

On March 5, after speaking at the 28th session of the UN Human Rights Council in Geneva Ales Bialiatski further commented to Human Rights Center "Viasna" about the topics he touched in his three-minute report.

05.03.2015 Procedural protection of the rights of detainees in custody

The National Report for the Universal Periodic Review (second cycle), prepared by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, has been published.

05.03.2015 Brest: KGB is looking for authors of leaflets of missing Belarusian politicians

The police have detained and questioned social activist Siarhei Sukhaverkhau about the leaflets that had been posted in Pinsk to remind the citizens about the fate of the well-known opposition activists who had been kidnapped.

05.03.2015 Ihar Ptsichkin's mother is prohibited to disclose information of preliminary investigation

The mother of Ihar Ptsichkin who had died in the remand prison in Valadarski Stret August 4, 2013, received a response to her appeal to the Investigation Committee of Belarus, in which she asked to report the results of the preliminary investigation into the causes of the death of her son, issue a certificate indicating the cause of death, as well as to answer the question whether the duty officials of the remand prison No. 1 were dismissed from office for the time of the investigation.

05.03.2015 Investigative Committee finds no corruption in actions of Niasvizh police

Aliaksandr Vaitseshyk, the legal inspector of the Trade Union of Radio Electronic Industry from Baranavichy, has received an answer from the Niasvizh District Department of the Investigative Committee, signed by Senior Lieutenant of Justice Aleh Huryn.

04.03.2015 Ales Bialiatski to speak at a session of the UN Human Rights Council

Ales Bialiatski, vice-President of the International Federation for Human Rights, chairman the Human Rights Centre “Viasna”, closed by the Belarusian authorities, will take the floor at the 28th session of the Human Rights Council of the United Nations, which runs March 2-27 in Geneva.

04.03.2015 Prisoners' rights and the international commitments of Belarus in the field of human rights

The National Report for the Universal Periodic Review (second cycle), prepared by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, has been published.

04.03.2015 Police insist that photographer Uladzimir Hrydzin return to police station

Photojournalist Uladzimir Hrydzin was arrested today in Zavodzki district court in Minsk. As Euroradio reported earlier, there is now held a trial of Dzianis Zamiatalin, son of the famous Belarusian official and ideologue Uladzimir Zamiatalin. Information about the arrest was contradictory. Euroradio phoned Ulad to learn more about the incident.