The Human Rights Center “Viasna”

16.02.2012 Orsha authorities keep violating Mass Events Code

Orsha town executive committee keeps ignoring the mass events legislation, say local activists of the Fair World United Leftist Party, whose applications to hold four pickets on 18 February were ignored by the authorities.

15.02.2012 Police inspector: “Go back to your Russia!”

Marina Dukmasova was detained during the silent protest action on 6 July 2011 in Minsk. The following day the Maskouski District Court of Minsk found her guilty of disorderly conduct and sentenced her to pay a fine. She appealed the verdict at the Minsk City Court, and the – at the Supreme Court, but the initial sentence was left standing.

15.02.2012 Uladzimir Niapomniashchykh still struggles for proper acquittal

On 15 February Aliaksandr Suzhayeu, Judge of the Homel Regional Court, considered the appeal of activist of the United Civil Party and Movement “For Freedom!” Uladzimir Niapomniashchykh against the ruling of the Tsentralny District court of Homel which upheld the dropping of his case because of the impossibility to prove his guilt.

07.02.2012 18 protests banned in Salihorsk in 2012

Eighteen mass events have been banned by Salihorsk town authorities since the beginning of the year alone, with six more pickets banned on 2 February, local human rights defender Uladzimir Shyla says.

07.02.2012 Human rights defender Aleh Vouchak appeals arrest

In his appeal against a four-day arrest for alleged using of foul language on 30 January, Aleh Vouchak, leader of the Kyiv-based Legal Assistance to Citizens Foundation, argues that the court ruling by Judge Aliaksandr Yakunchykhin is “illegal and groundless”, Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty reports.

06.02.2012 Action in Prague: human rights evicted

In the morning of 6 February cars with furniture and slogans: “Human rights got evicted” appeared near the entrance of the Belarusian Embassy in the Czech Republic, marking the start of an action in support of human rights defender Ales Bialiatski and the Human Rights Center “Viasna”.

06.02.2012 Action in support of political prisoners held in New-York

A picket in support of Belarusian political prisoners was held on 4 February near the UN headquarters in New-York. The picket participants held portraits of Zmitser Bandarenka, Ales Bialiatski, Andrei Sannikau and Mikalai Statkevich in their hands. The action was organized by the Belarusian-American Association “Pahonia”.

02.02.2012 Salihorsk authorities continue banning street actions

The Salihorsk authorities have recently banned six events organized by the local civil and political activists. The formal reason in all cases is alleged violation of Article 8 of the Law “On Mass Events” - placement of information about the actions on the web before their authorization.

01.02.2012 Under-aged Lobau fined for spilling noodles at the entrance of Belarusian State TV and Radio Company

The Maskouski district administrative commission of Minsk considered the case of Uladzislau Lobau, an under-aged activist of the Belarusian National-Bolshevik Party who took part in spilling noodles and scattering leaflets at the entrance of the Belarusian State TV and Radio Company on 3 December 2011. The youngsters did it to express their protest against false information regularly spread by the state media.

01.02.2012 Picket in support of Ales Bialiatski held in Stockholm

A picket in support of human rights defender Ales Bialiatski and other political prisoners in Belarus was held near the Belarusian Embassy in Stockholm on 31 January. It was organized by the Swedish human rights initiative Östgruppen in cooperation with Civil Rights Defenders, the Swedish branch of Amnesty International and the Swedish Union of Writers.

31.01.2012 Former police lieutenant-colonel addresses General Procuracy

Viktar Malochka, retired police lieutenant-colonel, applied to the Prosecutor General, A.Kaniuk, with the request to hold a repeated check-up concerning his unlawful detentions in summer 2011 and false testimonies given by officers of the Salihorsk District Police Department.

30.01.2012 MIA finds nothing wrong with refusal of Orsha police to conclude service agreement

The Orsha human rights defenders Vasil Berasneu and Vasil Leuchankau received an answer from the Ministry of Internal Affairs to their complaint concerning the refusal of the Orsha City Police Department to conclude an agreement for serving their picket.

27.01.2012 Mahiliou authorities ban “Fair World” picket

Members of the Mahiliou region branch of the Belarusian Leftist Party “Fair World” intended to hold a picket at 12 a.m. on 28 January in order to protest against the people's pauperization. The picket was to have taken place at the “Khimik” stadium, the only place determined for opposition's actions by a special ruling of the city authorities. However, the authorities refused to authorize the action. The alleged reason is that a mass sportive event will be held at the stadium at the specified time.

26.01.2012 Baranavichy authorities ban anti-pauperization picket

Viktar Tsiapin, Baranavichy leader of the Fair World Leftist Party, has received a reply from local executive authorities saying that the picket he was expected to stage on 28 January had been banned.