News on the topic: political persecution
06.11.2012 Official propaganda stirs up hostility to independent trade unions
The administration of the Babruisk Tractor Parts Plant (BTPP) accused the leader of the enterprise’s Free trade union of a desire to deprive people of their right to work.
02.11.2012 Tax inspection threatens Homel human rights defender with an administrative case
The Savetski District Tax Inspection of Homel sent a letter to the human rights defender Leanid Sudalenka, according to which he is summoned to the inspection for signing a protocol and participation in administrative proceedings. The matter is that earlier the tax inspection had demanded that he presented an income and assets declarations, which he refused to do.
05.10.2012 “Hooligan” Housha says it’s impossible to win a politically motivated trial
The human rights defenders Siarhei Housha, fined one million rubles for the alleged use of obscene language towards members of an election commission while observing the Parliamentary election, filed an appeal to the Brest Region Court.
05.10.2012 Social workers pay visit to Dzianis Sadouski's home
Dzianis Sadouski, an executive secretary of the Belarusian Christian Democracy party, was among coordinators of the election boycott campaign in Minsk. He was detained on 28 August when he was pasting boycott posters calling. The Frunzenski District Court of Minsk sentenced him to 10 days in custody.
27.09.2012 Observatory for the Protection of Human Rights Defenders condemns ongoing harassment of "Viasna" Board member Tatsiana Reviaka
On September 18, 2012, Ms. Revyaka received a notification from the Tax Inspection of Minsk Pershamaiski District stating that she was “obliged to submit a declaration of income and property not later than October 3, 2012 for the period of 2004-2010, in pursuance of Article 12 of the Law of the Republic of Belarus 'On Declaration of Income and Property by Individuals'”. The Observatory strongly condemns this new act of harassment against Ms. Revyaka (see background information), which is part of a more general campaign of harassment against members of Viasna, since it seems to merely aim at impeding their legitimate human rights activities.
04.09.2012 Political prisoner Zmitser Dashkevich transferred from Hlybokaye to Vitsebsk
Political prisoner Zmitser Dashkevich, sentenced to another year of imprisonment for regular violation of the prison regime, was transferred to the Vitsebsk pre-trial prison in the night of 3-4 September. This information was distributed in the social networks by his fiancée Nasta Palazhanka.
02.07.2012 Belarusian civil society urges authorities to release political prisoners
On 30 June a conference of the National Platform for the Civil Society Forum of the Eastern Partnership adopted a resolution with such calls. Human rights defender Ales Bialiatski, who is serving a prison term, was chosen an honourable member of the Coordinative Board of the National Platform.
04.04.2012 Participant of last year's silent protest in Navapolatsk persecuted by road police
Yury Rudkouski was fined 105.000 rubles (about $13) for participation in the silent protest action in Navapolatsk on 20 July 2011. However, road policemen are still trying to draw him to account for alleged running-down on their officer.
03.04.2012 Preventive surveillance can be established over Pavel Vinahradau
The Maskouski district court of Minsk will decide on 6 April whether former political prisoner Pavel Vinahradau should be put under stricter surveillance.
30.03.2012 FIDH and Viasna joint statement on political persecution of Siarhei Kavalenka
On 24 February 2012, the Pervomaisk District Court in Vitebsk sentenced opposition activist Siarhei Kavalenka to two years and one month imprisonment, having found him guilty of evading serving a punishment of supervised release.
01.03.2012 New restrictions of political prisoners' rights
According to Volha Bandarenka, the wife of European Belarus civil campaign coordinator Zmitser Bandarenka, who was an election agent for presidential candidate Andrei Sannikau at the 2010 election, her husband has faced stronger information isolation. Earlier, she received letters on political and philosophical themes from him that were published by websites and newspapers, but now only letters about his daily routine are delivered. She talked about this at a round table discussion “Political prisoners are our pain” organized by “For Freedom!” coordination group, BelSat reports.
15.02.2012 Lawyer not allowed to meet with Andrei Sannikau
Iryna Khalip, Sannikau’s wife: “They explained that Andrei worked on morning shifts. However, he has always been working morning shifts and he [the lawyer] used to be allowed to meet him. It looks like the isolation has been resumed”.
14.02.2012 Appeal of HRC “Viasna” to Siarhei Kavalenka
The Human Rights Center “Viasna” issued an urgent appeal to Siarhei Kavalenka, who has been keeping a hunger-strike for 57 days already. Here’s the full text of the address:
13.02.2012 Siarhei Kavalenka’s life is in danger
The political prisoner’s health is in critical condition.
10.02.2012 UCP activist put on “prophylaxis register”
On 8 February youth activist of the United Civil Party Aliaksandr Stsepanenka received a telephone call from the Pershamaiski District Police Department of Minsk. He was proposed to come to the DPD to familiarize with the ruling according to which he was put on the prophylaxis register.
