25.03.2015 Convict Piotr Kuchura urges Mahiliou Prosecutor to “have the courage”
Piotr Kuchura urges Mahiliou Prosecutor to react to a failure to launch a timely probe into his poisoning in penal colony No. 15, which made it impossible to punish the perpetrators.
25.03.2015 Pavel Sapelka: “Punishment under article 411 of the Criminal Code is arbitrary deprivation of liberty”
Human rights activists have repeatedly stressed the need to exclude Article 411 from the Criminal Code of Belarus, as it provides for additional prison terms for disobedience to the administration of penal facilities. The issue received wide public attention when the charges began to be used against political prisoners.
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.
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.
16.02.2015 Re-socialization of convicts: basic aspects, principles, standards
An expert on the prison system, lawyer Pavel Sapelka, analyzes the situation in the prisons of Belarus in the light of international standards and international practice of work with prisoners.
19.12.2014 Investigative nonsense: Shoes taken off barefooted body
The recent decision on the results of another probe in connection with the death of Aliaksandr Akulich in Svetlahorsk detention center demonstrates unacceptable negligence of investigator Viachaslau Petachenka.
24.11.2014 Fresh probe to be launched over death in Svetlahorsk jail
The Svetlahorsk District Court has quashed a decision by the district department of the Investigative Committee, which earlier refused to open a criminal investigation into the death of Aliaksandr Akulich, who died while serving an administrative arrest in the detention center of the town’s police department in May 2012. The judge agreed with all the arguments of the victim’s mother and the human rights defenders of the HRC “Viasna”.
20.10.2014 Mogilev investigators decided to ignore Lyudmila Kuchura
Lyudmila Kuchura, seeking punishment for the torture of her husband in the Penal Colony #15, after a year of correspondence with the Department of the Investigative Committee of Mogilev suddenly turned aside as investigators began to ignore complaints, refusing to recognize her as an applicant.
24.09.2014 The Supreme Court did not put an end to the case of man died in temporary holding facility of Svetlahorsk
The mother of Alexander Akulich is seeking punishment for employees of Svetlahorsk police department for the death of her son. There appeared a hope that her complaint about the refusal to institute criminal proceedings, previously dismissed by the Svetlahorsk regional court, will be reviewed.
19.09.2014 Examination is still a stumbling block in the case of torture of Peter Kuchura
On September 19 have been a year since Peter Kuchura was poisoned by chlorine in Mogilev Penal Colony #15. All this time, the investigating authorities, covering the administration of the colony, avoided forensic examination, which could confirm the torture of the prisoner.
13.08.2014 Lawyer Pavel Sapelka describes nuances of penitentiary statistics
Last week, there were voiced opposite statements about the number of prisoners in Belarus. One of the calculations was voiced by President Lukashenka, the other – by the Internet newspaper “Salidarnasts”. Human rights defenders react to the both of them with reasonable skepticism.
31.07.2014 Expert analysis of legal amendments governing detention in activity therapy centers (LTPs)
Having analyzed legal amendments governing detention in activity therapy centers (so called LTPs), Pavel Sapelka, an expert in the prison system law, states that LTPs still perform punitive functions, and the expected increase in the number of these institutions will certainly entail a boost in the number of persons held in them.
29.07.2014 Mahiliou Prosecutor orders fresh probe into torture report
Having considered an appeal by the wife of Piotr Kuchura, prisoner of penal colony No. 15, against a refusal to initiate criminal proceedings against the prison administration, Mahiliou City Prosecutor Mikalai Vulvach quashed the decision by the Mahiliou interdistrict department of the Investigative Committee.
24.07.2014 Police violently throw people in LTPs: Evidence by Minsk resident
The Human Rights Center “Viasna” received a complaint from a resident of Minsk who told about the artful ways in which police officers seem to be following a plan for filling the activity labor centers of Belarus (so called LTPs).
18.07.2014 Liudmila Kuchura does not give up in confrontation with investigative authorities
After a probe sought by the wife of prisoner Piotr Kuchura, Liudmila, the Mahiliou interdistrict department of the Investigative Committee refused to open a criminal investigation into the illegal actions of the administration of penal colony No. 15. Liudmila Kuchura has appealed the decision to the City Prosecutor.
