Weekly review of post-election situation in Belarus (March 14-20)
Weekly review of post-election situation in Belarus (March 14-20)
Politically motivated prosecutions have continued to gather pace: charges concerning the 19 December events were brought against another former presidential candidate Dzmitry Us, charges against another former presidential candidate Mikalai Statkevich were changed. Within the framework of the criminal case, law enforcement agencies continued carrying out interrogations and searches. Ales Mikhalevich left Belarus in fear of another arrest, following his release on recognizance. Human rights defenders encountered new harassment facts. Freedom of speech and freedom of peaceful assembly were still considerably restricted. More detentions were reported. The existence of a “black list” was reported by the media: the authorities banned a number of concerts by Belarusian rock bands. Six artworks to be exhibited at the “Pahonia” art exhibition were rejected due to censorship.
Politically motivated criminal prosecution
On 18 March, new charges in the mass riot criminal case (Par. 1 Art. 293 of the Criminal Code) were brought against former presidential candidates Dzmitry Us and Mikalai Statkevich, the latter currently facing charges for organizing mass disturbances (Par. 1) instead of participation (Par. 2). A few days before, Dzmitry Us’s 14-year-old son was interrogated by the KGB. He is said to have told his father about the number of riot police buses outside Lukashenka’s residence on 19 December. All the telephone conversations were wiretapped without a warrant by the prosecuting authorities.
Reports appeared of another person involved in the mass riot case Aliaksandr Klaskouski facing additional charges for insult of representative of authority (Art. 369 of the Criminal Code) and conferment of title or power (Art. 382 of the Criminal Code). Aliaksandr Klaskouski was earlier charged under Par. 1 and 2 Art. 293 of the Criminal Code.
On 14 March, the police detained another suspect in the mass riot case 29-year-old Dzmitry Daronin, who was initially arrested for three days. However, he was later arrested for ten more days, currently awaiting charges.
On 17 March, the human rights defenders found out the name of previously unidentified accused in the mass riot case – Andrei Pratasenia, 29-year-old programmer, detained on 9 February. He is currently in custody at the KGB pre-trial prison.
On 14 March, Ales Mikhalevich facing charges for involvement in the 19 December mass riot, who had been released on recognizance a few days earlier, left Belarus. The politician soon applied for political asylum in the Czech Republic.
The Human Rights Watch international human rights organization released a report on mass repressions against the Belarusian civil society following the 19 December 2010 presidential election. According to Mrs. Anna Sevartyan, head of Human Rights Watch Moscow office, an international investigation should be initiated concerning the post-election developments in Belarus.
Harassment of human rights defenders, political and civil activists
On 16 March, the police detained and escorted to Minsk Savetski District Police Department Andrey Yurov, head of the International Observation Mission of the Committee on International Control over the Situation with Human Rights in Belarus, as he had been reportedly “included on a list of persons, whose entry to the territory of Belarus is forbidden or undesirable.” In the police station, the human rights defender was charged with violating travel restrictions. Mr. Yurov had to spend the night in a prison cell, being released the next morning and ordered to leave Belarus within 24 hours. “During my detention, I was explained that I was facing criminal charges”, said Mr. Yurov at a press-conference the following day. Following involvement of human rights defenders and lawyers (as well as an official note by the Russian Embassy), the police decided not to prosecute Mr. Yurov under Par. 2 Art 371 of the Criminal Code. The Russian human rights defender says he is going to appeal the travel restrictions imposed upon him. He is going to use all means possible – national bodies, foreign ministries, intergovernmental bodies and international organizations (UN and OSCE, in particular) – to achieve his goal.
On 16 March, the International Observation Mission of the Committee on International Control over the Situation with Human Rights in Belarus released a statement on the provision of fundamental human rights during the criminal trials of participants of the 19 December 2010 events.
Human rights defenders Ales Bialiatski, Valianstin Stefanovich and Uladzimir Labkovich received replies to their complaints concerning the personal property (including personal computers) seized during a search in Ales Bialiatski’s apartment on 20 December 2010. However, the replies were not issued by Minsk Pershamaiski District Prosecutor’s Office (where the complaints had been submitted), but by Minsk Pershamaiski District Police Department, i.e. by the body whose actions had been appealed. Valianstin Stefanovich calls upon Minsk City Prosecutor’s Office to prosecute the officials who violated the legislation on public appeals and to take measures to recover the private property, which is still illegally kept in the Investigative Department of Preliminary Investigation of Minsk City Department of Internal Affairs.
On 14 March, border troops detained the car of Hrodna human rights defender Viktar Sazonau. He was released after an examination. The recent facts of extraordinary attention by Belarusian customs officials towards pro-democratic activists, political and civil figures are an evidence of the existence of special “black lists”.
On 15 March, the KGB agents conducted a series of unexpected searches in the town of Rechytsa: they broke the doors of a private house, home to a legal advice office, seized the personal property of human rights defender Valery Putsitski – a PC, a printer and a laptop.
Detentions conditions and torture
The imprisoned Young Front leader Zmitser Dashkevich is still facing pressure. Following his refusal to cooperate with the military counterintelligence, he was threatened with a severe verdict and a disciplinary cell. Meanwhile, his detention conditions are below all standards: he is imprisoned in an overcrowded cell in Minsk pre-trial prison in Valadarski Street. The trial of Zmitser Dashkevich and Eduard Lobau was postponed to 22 March. The trial of Likhavid is due on the same day.
On 15 March, press-secretary of Andrei Sannikau’s campaign team Aliaksandr Atroshchankau, sentenced to 4 years of imprisonment in a high-security colony for involvement in the 19 December mass riot, had a meeting with his wife in the KGB pre-trial prison. Talks of politics, investigation procedures or detention conditions were banned. The political prisoner is awaiting consideration of his appeal against the verdict.
Orsha resident Siarhei Malaletkin, one of the victims of police violence during the 19 December crackdown, publicly spoke on the injuries caused by the riot police, including a broken arm and teeth.
Maladechna activist Yan Lahvinovich, whose arm was broken during the post-election rally dispersal, is still awaiting reply to his complaint demanding to prosecute the persons who has beaten him on 19 December.
Restrictions on freedom of speech
On 17 March, the cassational board of the Supreme Economic Court ruled to review both of the complaints by AutoRadio, i.e. both court verdicts of 9 March on the reversal of the warning issued by the Ministry of Information and the National Broadcasting Commission were considered void.
On 16 March, Astravets town police detained the reporter of the Salidarnasts Internet newspaper and the Abazhur magazine Siarhei Balai, as he was interviewing local residents on the construction of a nuclear power plant, considering the recent events in Japan. He was questioned and escorted to the local railway station.
On 17 March, Vitsebsk Chyhunachny District Court fined local distributor of independent press Barys Khamaida BYR 1,050,000.
On 18 March, the customs officials of the Katlouka border terminal seized 100 copies of the Belarus Press Photo 2010 outlet from a famous press photographer Yulia Darashekvich, as she was returning from Lithuania in her private car. The customs officers drew up a confiscation report, saying that the album was due to undergo an expert examination within a month’s time.
On 18 March, Minsk police detained Vasil Siamashka, press photographer of the BelaPAN news agency, outside the National Library, where Aliaksandr Lukashenka’s meeting with Russian media was underway. He forced to erase the photos, questioned and released an hour an half later.
Detentions, interrogations, administrative penalties
On 15 March, Minsk police conducted a series of preventive detentions of a number of youths, allegedly involved in the anarchist movement. The majority of them were interrogated in so called “anarchists’ case” last year.
More detentions and interrogations were reported by regional human rights defenders.
The administration of Hrodna Leninski District fined two students of Hrodna Medical University Katsiaryna Herasimchyk and Volha Bahdankevich BYR 350,000 each for pasting stickers between 11 and 12 February.
On 18 March, Hrodna youth activist Katsiaryna Herasimchyk stood administrative trial on charges of spraying graffiti on Lenin monument. The judge sustained the defendant’s motion for additional studying of the case file, the court session was put off till 23 March.
Censorship
On 11 March, Minsk Palace of Art hosted the opening of the Pahonia-20 art exhibition, marking the 25 March Freedom Day celebrations. Six artworks and an installation “Belarusian Pyramid” were rejected by unknown officials.
A concert by the Neuro Dubel rock band scheduled for 24 March was banned. This is a third ban of the bands, mentioned in the anonymous “black list”, named an “odious fake” by the Information Minister Aleh Praliaskouski. Earlier bans were reported by regional media. On 13 March, Homel emergency department banned a concert by Liapis Trubetskoy, on 18 March Brest authorities banned a concert of Zmitser Vaitsiushkevich. On 17 March, a presentation of Krambambulia’s new album was banned.
Restrictions on freedom of peaceful assembly
The National Platform of the Eastern Partnership Civil Society Forum was not granted premises for holding a conference “Role and Place of Civil Society in the Strategy of Future”.
Salihorsk authorities banned a number of pickets marking the 25 March Freedom Day applied for by local civil activists.
Zhodzina town executive committee dismissed an application for holding a picket of solidarity with political prisoners submitted by pro-democratic activist Yury Silkin. Similar pickets were banned by Brest city authorities.
Restrictions on freedom of association
The Belarusian Popular Front Party called upon political parties, public associations and individuals to join a campaign of public pressure on the authorities with a demand to reverse their eviction plans imposed against the BPF’s office at 8 Masherau Avenue. The Party’s leaders also said they were going to appeal the rent termination decision.
“Human Rights Chronicle”
