The Human Rights Center “Viasna”

21.01.2015 Anarchists stand trials in Minsk

On January 21, the Leninski District Court of Minsk sentenced two activists of the anarchist movement to an administrative arrest of 15 days each.

19.01.2015 Activist to stand trial in Brest

As told by Andrei Sharenda, he was detained on a city bus on January 16. The policemen said that the activist supposedly looked like a man who had committed an offense and took him to the Maskouski police department of Brest.

16.01.2015 Andrei Sharenda detained in Brest

An opposition activist is charged with making printed materials.

15.01.2015 Members of Hare Krishna community are charged with use of obscene language

Several days ago, Polatsk police detained two members of Hare Krishna community and charged them under Art. 17.1 of the Code of Administrative Offenses, “disorderly conduct".

14.01.2015 Detained participants of punk concert sentenced to fines and arrest terms

January 12, three participants of the December 10 punk concert in “Pirates”, detained during a police raid, were tried by Judge of the Leninski District Court of Minsk A. Kamushkin.

12.01.2015 Raid on a punk concert in Minsk

30 minutes after the beginning of a punk concert in Minsk club "Pirates" the club was stormed by the police and riot police in masks.30 minutes after the beginning of a punk concert in Minsk club "Pirates" the club was stormed by the police and riot police in masks.

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.

30.12.2014 UCP Deputy Chairman searched at border

On December 28, Vasil Paliakou, deputy chairman of the United Civil Party of Belarus, was taken off the train going to Minsk as he was crossing the Lithuanian-Belarusian border. During a thorough examination, he was forced to take off his clothes and even shoes.

26.12.2014 Opposition activist Siarhei Kavalenka detained in Vitsebsk

On December 24, unknown activists placed a huge white-red-white flag on a high-rise building in central Vitsebsk, presumably in support of Yury Belenki, deputy chair of the Conservative Christian Party BPF, who has been fined three times over the past month for organizing a number of authorized rallies in Minsk.

02.12.2014 Iryna Motsnaya got detained at court

Iryna Motsnaya, a mother who was denied the right to continue raising her adoptive children, was detained while coming out of the Klimavichy District Court, due to alleged earlier insubordination to the police.

25.11.2014 Police detain wheelchair user during banned picket in Svetlahorsk

Civil society activist Yury Liashenka was detained this afternoon in Svetlahorsk. The city authorities did not allow the wheelchair user to stage a picket at the city’s central square. The activist intended to protest against failure to meet the rights of persons with disabilities during the renovation of a residential building in Lenin Street. As a result, the desperate activist decided to hold an unsanctioned rally.

25.11.2014 Belarusian journalist shortly detained on Russian border

On November 24, Russian border guards detained Belarusian journalist Larysa Shchyrakova and opposition activist Kanstantsin Zhukouski. The Homel-based journalist was making a story about the Belarusian-Russian border in the Dobrush district. Later they moved across the border into Russia and there filmed trucks moving from Belarus to Russia to prove restrictions on transit of Belarusian exports. They were stopped by Russian border guards, who took their passports and asked about the purpose of their trip.

24.11.2014 Young opposition activist Haydukow released after being charged with minor offense

Andrey Haydukow, a prominent young opposition activist who was arrested Friday in his home city of Navapolatsk, Vitsyebsk region, over the distribution of leaflets about political prisoners in Belarus, was released from the police station after a charge sheet was drawn up against him.

17.11.2014 The policemen returned to "Dzetsiuki" video materials and props

Directed Anton Tsialezhnikau, shot video clip for the group "Dzetsiuki", said that police officers returned the video materials and some of the props that had previously confiscated.