News on the topic: criminal case of Ales Bialiatski
17.11.2011 Artak Kirokasyan: This is a trial of the entire independent civil society sector in Belarus
FIDH Secretary General and Chairman of the Civil Society Institute (Armenia) Artak Kirakosyan, who has been closely following the trial of FIDH Vice-President Ales Bialiatski, has commented on the “new charges” that were brought against the Belarusian human rights defender on 16 November.
16.11.2011 Bialiatski trial to be resumed on 22 November
Judge Siarhei Bandarenka has reopened the trial of Ales Bialiatski at Minsk Maskouski District Court.
14.11.2011 Uladzimir Labkovich: “Bialiatski’s case started with a warning, issued to him by General Procuracy for activities on behalf of an unregistered organization”
On 15 October the European Commission for Democracy through Law (Venice Commission) produced a special report "On the conformity with the universal human rights standards of Article 193-1 of the Criminal Code on the rights of non-registered associations of the Republic of Belarus”. The uniqueness of this instrument lies in the fact that it was the first time when this authoritative legal commission considered only one article in a country’s law.
11.11.2011 Ales Bialiatski to be given new charges on 16 November
On 10 November the trial of Ales Bialiatski, Chairman of the Human Rights Center “Viasna”, continued at the Pershamaiski District Court of Minsk.
09.11.2011 A new film in support of Ales Bialiatski (video)
The trial against Mr. Ales Bialiatski, FIDH Vice-President and President of the Human Rights Center “Viasna” (Belarus), currently arbitrarily detained in relation with his human rights activities, is presently taking place in Minsk. In many States of the Eastern Europe and Central Asia region, human rights defenders are facing similar harsh repression: obstacles to freedoms of assembly and association, hindrances to NGO registration, criminalisation of unregistered organisations, obstacles of access to funding, judicial harassment and arbitrary detentions.
09.11.2011 Ales Bialiatski points at those who ordered the criminal case
"I state that this case was instigated and conducted with evident political motives, with the aim to persecute members of the Human Rights Center “Viasna”, including me, for human rights activities," - stated Ales Bialiatski on 4 November, during the third day of the trial. To confirm his words, he read some documents from the first volume of criminal case # 11081100188, which were just mentioned by the prosecutor during the study of the case.
08.11.2011 State media denigrate Bialiatski and “Viasna” all over Belarus
The state-owned newspapers “Mahiliouskiya Vedamastsi”, “Prydniaprouskaya Niva”, "Vitebski Rabochy" and "Narodnaye Slova" have published an article "How “human rights defender” "Bialiatski made a nice life for himself”. Most probably, soon this publication will appear in other state-own newspapers.
07.11.2011 A brief review of the second day of the hearing of the case of Ales Bialiatski
On November 3, 2011 in Minsk the trial of Ales Bialiatski, the head of the human rights center Viasna and vice-president of the International Federation of Human Rights continued. The International observation mission of the Committee on international control over the situation with Human Rights in Belarus followed the progress of the trial. A survey of the first day can be found here. Today's hearing was largely devoted to the examination of witnesses.
07.11.2011 The Observatory for the Protection of Human Rights Defenders: Third day of the trial against Ales Bialiatski shows clear signs of a politically-motivated trial
On the second day, Mr. Ales Bialiatski appeared in court behind bars, very pale, but also very clear when answering about his professional activities. On the first day of his trial, Mr. Ales Bialiatski was not allowed to have lunch, nor to drink. When he was interrogated for more than two hours, he stood up, with his documents in the hands whereas the interrogators, the prosecution and the judge were sat-down.
04.11.2011 Trial of Ales Bialiatski: day 3
4 November is the third day of the court hearings on the criminal case against Ales Bialiatski, Chairman of the Human Rights Center “Viasna”, vice-President of the International Federation for Human Rights (FIDH).
03.11.2011 Trial of Ales Bialiatski, day 2 (updated)
The trial of the Chairman of the Human Rights Center “Viasna”, vice-President of the International Federation for Human Rights Ales Bialiatski continues at the Pershamaiski District Court of Minsk.
02.11.2011 Trial of Ales Bialiatski (updated)
Extraordinary precautions have been used since 9 a.m. near the building of the Maskouski District Court of Minsk. Special police forces and several cars of the road police arrived. Private parking spaces were fenced with protective police tapes. The people who wanted to attend the trial started gathering at the entrance. At 9.30 a.m. Ales Bialiatski was guarded to the court.
28.10.2011 Judge to consider Ales Bialiatski’s pre-trial release
Uladzimir Saikouski, head of the department for the supervision over the implementation of tax and customs legislation of Minsk City Prosecutor’s Office, has redirected the complaint by Homel human rights defenders Anatol Paplauny and Leanid Sudalenka to Judge Siarhei Bandarenka of Minsk Pershamaiski District Court who is going to preside at the upcoming trial of Viasna leader Ales Bialiatski.
28.10.2011 Court bans Bialiatski’s meeting with wife
Minsk court has not authorized Ales Bialiatski’s meeting with his wife ahead of the trial he is to stand on 2 November, Radio Racyja reports.
27.10.2011 Photofact: Ales Bialiatski’s empty chair at Observatory’s Annual Report 2011 presentation in New York on 24 October
Ales Bialiatski’s empty chair during the presentation of Annual Report 2011 by the Observatory for the Protection of Human Rights Defenders in New York on 24 October.
