The Human Rights Center “Viasna”

News on the topic: political parties & movements

08.05.2008 Action of United Civil Party in place of Zakharanka’s kidnap

8 May in Mahiliouskaya Street in Minsk, in the place where the ex-minister of internal affairs Yury Zakharanka had been kidnapped nine years ago, activists of the United Civil Party including its chairman Anatol Liabedzka have carried out an action in his memory.

05.05.2008 Police prohibit handing out non-state press

3 May is celebrated as the Universal Day of Press. At 12 a.m. representatives of the United Democratic Forces (including members of the Belarusian Popular Front party, the United Civil Party, the Party of Communists Belarusian, etc.) gathered near the Main Post Office in Minsk to mark this day by handing out to passers-by the officially registered non-state newspapers: Narodnaya Volia, Nasha Niva and Tovarishch. Bear in mind, that the state retail and subscription monopolist on press Belsayuzdruk, neither sells these newspapers, nor provides subscription to them, all because of their ‘oppositional’ content.

05.05.2008 Vitsebsk: politically motivated warnings to minors

The commission on the cases of minors of Pershamaiski district executive committee of Vitsebsk has issued warnings to the 17-year-old pupils of school #38, Krystsina and Viktoryia Chyzh, after the sisters were detained on 16 April, at an action of solidarity with political prisoners.

05.05.2008 Police to bring no case on defilement of BPF office door

The office of the Belarusian Popular Front party (BPF) received an answer from the police to the complaint ‘on the facts on window damage and drawing inscriptions on office’s door’.

05.05.2008 Baranavichy: Young Front activists get fined

Yaraslau Hryshchenia, leader of the Baranavichy Young Front branch, activist Artsiom Lastavetski and Ales Pershak, detained ahead of 1 May, had administrative trials in Baranavichy on 2 May.

02.05.2008 1 May action brings detentions and arrests

About 30 activists of the civil campaign European Belarus were detained yesterday near the National Library in Minsk suburb Uruccha where pro-regime trade unions were celebrating May Day. Among the detained are Yauhen Afnahel, Andrei Babitski, Zmitser Barodka, the Young Front leaders Zmitser Dashkevich, Artur Finkevich, Zmitser Khvedaruk, and chairman of the Belarusian Social Democratic Party (Narodnaya Hramada) Mikola Statkevich.

25.04.2008 Criminal charges against Young Front member dropped

Head of Homel branch of Young Front Andrus Tsianiuta received a note signed by KGB investigator D. Sidliarou saying that the criminal charges under Article 193.1 had been finally dropped. The decision is based on Article 259 part 1 of the Code of Criminal Procedure, which provides for satisfaction of the petition of the suspect.

22.04.2008 Members of Vitebsk BPF Youth fail to get recommendations for university

On April 21st youth activists of BPF party Aliaksandar Kuzniatsou, Yulia Mikhailava, and Viktoria and Christina Chyzh went for an interview for university entrants who plan to study law in Vitebsk pedagogical university. None of the BPF Youth members received recommendations.

“We were asked why we want to become lawyers, -- Aliaksandar Kuzniatsou, leader of local BPF Youth, says. – We said we were concerned about human rights violations in Belarus, politically-motivated arrests, and persecutions of students. They told us, we would not receive recommendations. That proves, that people dissenting with the “general” opinion are not even allowed to take entrance exams”.

17.04.2008 Dobrush teacher fired for social activity

Dobrush district court turned down a claim by Klaudzia Varanets, a school teacher and a UCPB activist, demanding to reverse the decision by local education department to sack Varanets for ‘absence from work’ as she was having rest abroad. She was accused of failing to wait for the official permit for leave. Varanets’ lawyer Leanid Sudalenka says the school administration and the education department violated the labour legislation. He also said that he considers the verdict a politically motivated move.

14.04.2008 UCPB Hrodna office closed down

Hrodna fire inspection officials say UCPB’s office cannot seat more than 15 persons due to fire safety reasons. UCPB Hrodna office will only be able to hold mass meetings after ‘all recommendations by the fire inspection are implemented’. At the same time, Yury Istomin, head of the office, says city authorities do not want large amounts of people, especially teenagers, to gather for political and cultural events.

10.04.2008 New criminal cases against Young Front members

Young Front activists Nasta Palazhanka and Aliaksei Ianusheuski are charged with acting on behalf of an unregistered organization (Article 193.1 of the Criminal Code). According to Nasta Palazhanka, the case was initiated on March 14, 2007. She said she had lodged a complaint with the Ministry of Internal Affairs demanding explanations concerning the matter of the case.

08.04.2008 Polatsk: Aliaksei Yanusheuski detained at action in support of Katsiaryna Salauyova

The youth activist was detained near the building of Polatsk court during the trial over the member of the underground organization Young Front Katsiaryna Salauyova.

08.04.2008 Chronicle of trial over Katsiaryna Salauyova

About 50 persons came to the court of Polatsk today to support Katsiaryna Salauyova, including the leader of the For Freedom movement Alexander Milinkevich, the co-chairman of the Belarusian Christian Democracy Party Pavel Seviarynets, the politicians Mikalai Statkevich and Viachaslau Statkevich, the entrepreneur Alexander Makayeu, the human rights activists Ales Bialiatski and Valiantsin Stefanovich and the advisor of the US Embassy Jonathan Moore.

08.04.2008 Address of youth leaders to Belarusians abroad and to friends of Belarus in the world

Friends! The Belarusian authorities have tightened repression against democratic activists for the first months of 2008. Solemn peaceful demonstration on 25 March, dedicated to proclamation of the Belarusian National Republic’s independence, was broken up violently. Dozens of its participants were beaten up by riot police, more than 100 people were detained.