The Human Rights Center “Viasna”

09.02.2012 Babruisk: procuracy refutes existence of “black lists”

In January Anatol Sanatsenka, chief editor of the private socio-political newspaper “Babruiski Kur’yer”, filed an appeal with the procuracy, in which he asked to explain the frequent visits of the police to local civil activists and the existence of the so-called “black list” of activists and journalists. He also stated that police officers posed threats to him in connection with his refusal to be fingerprinted.

08.02.2012 Brest: road police haunt owners of cars with “Pahonia” stickers

The cars of those who have stickers with the national emblem “Pahonia” (which used to be the state coat of arms of Belarus before Lukashenka’s rule) are photographed. The owners are summonsed to the police and threatened with fines for violation of Article 194.13 of traffic rules in the case they don’t remove the stickers.

03.02.2012 Soviet of the Republic: Article 193-1 “protects universally accepted human rights and fundamental freedoms”

The Soviet of the Republic sees no need to initiate the abolishment of Article 193-1 of the Criminal Code of the Republic of Belarus, which penalizes activities on behalf of organizations that are not registered with the state.

01.02.2012 Sannikau's lawyers go to court

According to the wife of the political prisoner, Iryna Khalip, on 31 January the lawyers filed a lawsuit with the Mahiliou City Court concerning their non-admission to Mr. Sannikau during his keeping in the Mahiliou prison.

12.01.2012 Court transfers political prisoner Statkevich to prison for three years

On 12 January the former presidential candidate stood trial in a penal colony in Shklou.

11.01.2012 “Viasna” demands immediate release of Siarhei Kavalenka from jail

The Human Rights Center "Viasna" calls on the Belarusian authorities to immediately stop the persecution of the activist of the Conservative-Christian Party “Belarusian Popular Front” Siarhei Kavalenka.

06.01.2012 Siarhei Kavalenka is not allowed to meet with his wife

Alena Kavalenka learned it from the investigator who deals with her husband's case. On 3 January she had filed an application for a meeting with Siarhei. However, on 5 Janury investigator Yury Volkau mocked at her, saying that in some cases complaints could be considered for up to 10 days.

13.12.2011 Zmitser Dashkevich to be kept in solitary confinement till April

Human rights defender Anastasiya Loika voiced this information to RFE/RL with reference to Zmitser Dashkevich. “He has been kept in a one-man cell in the Hlybokaye colony for three months already. He had been repeatedly put into penal cells in the previous prisoners. Human rights defenders are concerned with threats to his life and health and demand that the authorities immediately stop all provocations against him and provide him with adequate life conditions,” commented Anastasiya Loika.

13.12.2011 Mikalai Autukhovich placed in prison cell

As we have learned today, the administration of the Ivatsevichy penal colony where political prisoner Mikalai Autukhovich is serving his term has placed him into a prison cell for one month. Though the formal reasons remain unknown, we consider it as a continuation of the ongoing pressurization of political prisoners for their principled civil position.

13.12.2011 Niakliayeu and Palazhanka face imprisonment

Former presidential candidate Uladzimir Niakliaeu and deputy chairperson of the “Young Front” Anastasiya Palazhanka, given two and one year of suspended sentence respectively, have been issued the last warning.

08.11.2011 Participant of 19 December protest rally discriminated at work

Stanislau Khaladovich, a machinist of pumping units of the central water supply point of Ivatsevichy, was transferred to the position of a fitter due to the staff reduction.

04.11.2011 Haradok: Leanid Autukhou deprived of his driver’s license

The Haradok road police deprived civil activist Leanid Autukhou of his driver’s license for a year, so that “he wouldn’t drive to People’s Assemblies” (as he heard some police officer say behind his back). He was also fined 280,000 rubles, as he had allegedly committed a gross violation of the traffic rules on his return from the People’s Assembly on 8 October in Vitsebsk.

12.10.2011 Last figurant of “19 December mass riot” case sentenced to three years of personal restraint

The Maskouski District Court of Minsk finished the proceedings concerning the last figurant of the 19 December case, Sviataslau Barananovich. Judge Alena Rudnitskaya found him guilty of participation in the “mass riot” and sentenced him to three years of personal restraint with direction to a penitentiary

11.10.2011 Head of Shklou colony creates obstacles to Mikalai Statkevich’s marriage

Siarhei Yarmalitski, head of penal colony #17 in Shklou, purposefully refuses to sign the statement about the intention to get married, signed by the former presidential candidate, political prisoner Mikalai Statkevich. He also refused to have an audience with civil activist Krystsina Shatsikava.