The Human Rights Center “Viasna”

News on the topic: freedom of peaceful assembly

14.03.2008 Siarhei Parsiukevich Gets Official Charges

The leader of Vitsebsk entrepreneurs, political prisoner Siarhei Parsiukevich has been officially accused by the prosecutor’s office on violation of Article 364 (‘violence or a threat of violence against a policeman’) of the Criminal Code of Belarus.

13.03.2008 State Department Store Demands 28 Million Rubles from Participants of Entrepreneurs’ Protest Action

HUM department store in Minsk has raised a 28-million invoice for participants of the entrepreneurs’ rally on 10 January, an activist of the United Civil Party Mikhail Pashkevich said to Nasha Niva.

13.03.2008 Authorities Demand 125 Million Rubles from Participants of Entrepreneurs’ Action

The Young Front activist Uladzimir Siarheyeu, accused of organization of the protest rally of entrepreneurs, was invited to come to the investigation department of Minsk city executive committee for familiarization with the materials of the criminal case on 14 March.

13.03.2008 Action of Protest against Lawless Actions of Traffic Police

The tide of public discontent caused by actions of traffic policemen and their commanding officers has taken a form of a civil protest Human Shield.

12.03.2008 Faces for Amnesty – Freedom for Prisoners of Conscience In Belarus!

The German branch of the international human rights organization Amnesty International decided to hold an action for release of the political prisoner Aliaksandr Kazulin. Here’s the text of the press-release concerning the action.

12.03.2008 Sum of Absurd Claims to European March Organizers Reaches 10 Million Rubles

Yesterday Savetski district court of Minsk continued the hearings on the suit of the Horremautador state enterprise against the organizers of the European March action which took place on 14 October 2007. The enterprise demands from the defendants Yauhen Afnahel, Zmitser Fedaruk, Viktar Ivashkevich, Anatol Liabedzka, Aliaksandr Milinkevich and Viktar Viachorka 2 135 974 rubles (about 993 US dollars) for additional expenditures on cleaning the streets and removal of litter.

12.03.2008 Police Draw Violation Report against Aliaksandr Makayeu

On 12 March a leader of the entrepreneurs’ movement, supporter of the For Freedom movement Aliaksandr Makayeu was summonsed to Maskouski district police department (DPD) of Minsk. There the police drew on him a violation report for participation in the meeting of entrepreneurs in Baranavichy on 11 February.

12.03.2008 Brest Authorities Allow Picket for Release of Aliaksandr Kazulin

Brest city executive committee satisfied the application for authorization of a picket in support of release of the former candidate to president, chairman of the Belarusian Social Democratic Party Hramada Aliaksandr Kazulin from jail.

10.03.2008 11 March – Continuation of Trial over Organizers of European March Rally

On 11 March, at 10 a.m. the trial over the organizers of the European March rally, held on 14 October 2007, will take place at Savetski district court of Minsk. It will be already the second attempt of the judge Siarhei Barazna to hold a successful trial and read the verdict, as on 25 February the hearings were suspended because of the illness of one of the defendants.

07.03.2008 Babruisk: Artsiom Dubski Detained

As we learned, Artsiom was going to Minsk with photos for an exhibition in Brussels. The detention was performed by the senior lieutenant Malakhau and ensign Radzkou. They confiscated from Dubski copies of the local non-state newspaper Babruiski kuryier. Bear in mind that Artsiom is one of the fourteen accused in the criminal case brought on the fact of ‘mass riot’ during the peaceful action of protest, held by the Belarusian entrepreneurs on 10 January in the center of Minsk.

07.03.2008 You can picket … with the agreement of police, firemen and ambulance

The consideration of the suit of Hrodna office of the United Civil Party against the local authorities lasted for about three months.

07.03.2008 New Accused in Criminal Case on Events of 10 January

20-year-old Anton Koipish is accused in violation of the public order and active participation in the protest rally of entrepreneurs held on 10 January in the center of Minsk. In particular, he is accused of having taken part in stopping the traffic in Nezalezhnastsi Avenue. The maximal punishment under the accusation article is 3 years of jail. He has also been expelled from the fourth year at the mechanic-mathematical faculty of Belarusian State University. He became the 14th person accused in a common criminal case on the fact of ‘mass riot’ during the entrepreneurs’ action.

07.03.2008 Press-conference of Suspects in Criminal Case

On 7 March the opposition activists, suspected and accused on the criminal case on entrepreneurs’ action 10 January, held a press conference in the main office of the United Civil Party. Many riot policemen were watching outside the building where the UCP head-office is situated.

06.03.2008 Mikhail Kryvau: ‘There can be any evidence of my guilt in the fabricated case’

In his interview with the UCP press-service the activist of Young Democrats Mikhail Kryvau said: ‘I consider the criminal accusation for my participation in the meeting on 10 January as a legal boundlessness. Yes, I really participated in this action, but I have never fought with the road police, did not rush under car wheels, did not break anything, did not beat or insult anyone, unlike some riot policemen, who beat and insulted the detained meeting participants in the police busses. I have a clear conscience and can answer for all my actions.