The Human Rights Center “Viasna”

News for April 2015

19.04.2015 Human rights crisis in Belarus discussed at OSCE side event

On April 17, the situation in Belarus was discussed at a side event held in Vienna in the framework of the OSCE additional meeting on the human dimension, dedicated to freedom of peaceful assembly and association.

18.04.2015 Political prisoner Yauhen Vaskovich not allowed to receive books

On April 17, political prisoner Yauhen Vaskovich was visited by his mother, father and grandmother. They brought him food stuffs and hygiene products, as well as a Belarusian translation of the Bible. Earlier, the prisoner was punished with solitary confinement for refusing to give the Bible to prison staff.

18.04.2015 Freelance journalist Kanstantsin Zhukouski to stand trial in Naroŭlia

On April 17, Kanstantsin Zhukouski, a freelance journalist in Homiel, received an administrative violation report submitted against him by employees of the Naroŭlia district police department.

18.04.2015 Chairman of Mahilioŭ Regional Court turns down supervisory appeal by Ryhor Kastusiou

On April 17, Ryhor Kastusiou, deputy head of the Belarusian Popular Front Party, received a reply to his supervisory appeal from Chairman of the Mahilioŭ Regional Court concerning a fine of 25 basic units (3,750,000 rubles) imposed on him for participating in "unauthorized" public events in the town of Svislač near the monument to anti-Russian uprising leaders Kastus Kalinouski and Romuald Traugutt and a memorial cross in the village of Jakušoŭka on October 26, 2014.

17.04.2015 Political prisoner Artsiom Prakapenka may be pardoned

According to the political prisoner’s father Anatol Prakapenka, his son, Artsiom Prakapenka, may be released in the near future after he sent a petition for clemency to the President back in February. Earlier, President Lukashenka publicly promised to release political prisoners in case they sought pardon. However, Artsiom Prakapenka is still in prison.

17.04.2015 Ideology officials in Biaroza ban meeting with writer Natalka Babina

The meeting was to be held on April 19 at a library in the town of Bielaaziorsk.

17.04.2015 Miklós Haraszti: Lukashenka system needs Europe now (video)

The UN Special Rapporteur on Belarus, Miklós Haraszti, spoke yesterday at a meeting of the Subcommittee on Human Rights of the European Parliament.

17.04.2015 Human rights activists urge members of intergovernmental organizations to visit Mikalai Statkevich

On April 17, the Legal Transformation Center and the Human Rights Center "Viasna" passed an urgent appeal to Mrs. Maira Mora, head of the European Union’s mission in Belarus, in connection with an increased pressure against political prisoner Mikalai Statkevich.

16.04.2015 Ales Bialiatski: No reasons to lift sanctions against Belarus, while there are political prisoners (video)

Ales Bialiatski, head of the Human Rights Center "Viasna" and FIDH Vice President, participated today, along with the UN Special Rapporteur on Belarus Miklos Haraszti, in a meeting of the European Parliament’s Subcommittee on Human Rights. The human rights defender urged the EU to continue putting pressure on the Belarusian authorities.

16.04.2015 Baku Sentences Rights Activist

BAKU -- A prominent human rights activist in Azerbaijan has been sentenced to 6 1/2 years in prison. The Baku Court for Grave Crimes found Rasul Cafarov guilty of tax evasion, illegal entrepreneurship, and abuse of office on April 16.

16.04.2015 Human rights activist insists that head of presidential administration assessed actions of Viciebsk police

Human rights defender Pavel Levinau has sent another letter to head of President Lukashenka’s administration Aliaksandr Kosinets to complain about the notorious photo session with cages and birds, whose participants were accused of unauthorized picketing.

16.04.2015 ENEMO Calls Azerbaijan for Immediate Release of Anar Mammadli

The European Network of Election Monitoring Organizations (ENEMO) once again calls Azerbaijan Government for immediate release of Anar Mammadli of Election Monitoring and Democracy Studies Centre (EMDS). EMDS chairman Anar Mammadli was imprisoned by the Court of Serious Crimes for 5.5 years respectively following the Azerbaijan presidential elections of October, 2013 when critical reports were published on the electoral process by Anar Mammadli and his colleagues.

16.04.2015 Human rights activists: Belarus' participation in the UPR gives hope for changes

Universal Periodic Review is one of the few UN mechanisms recognized by the Belarusian authorities. The UPR provides for cooperation between the authorities and civil society. The process of this interaction is still far from perfect, but human rights activists seek to use the platform of the UPR to promote the necessary changes.

15.04.2015 Homiel human rights activist Leanid Sudalenka questioned as a witness in a criminal case regarding distribution of pornography

Today, April 15, Chairman of the Homiel Branch of the NGO "Legal Initiative" Leanid Sudalenka has been interrogated as a witness at the Homiel city department of the Investigation Committee in connection with a criminal case, brought under part 2 of article 343 of the Criminal Code (distribution of pornographic materials via the Internet) in connection with the alleged sending of pornographic videos from the mailbox, belonging to the human rights activist (sudalenko@mail.ru).