The Human Rights Center “Viasna”

News on the topic: political persecution

05.02.2008 Foreign Travel Restrictions to Dashkevich, Shyla and Liabedzka

On Saturday, 2 February the Belarusian border guards did not let abroad the leader of the Young Front Zmitser Daskhevich and a Salihorsk member of this organization Ivan Shyla.

01.02.2008 Cassation Complaint of Artur Finkevich to Be Considered 5 February

This day the court will consider two complaints, one of which was filed by Artur and the other – by his lawyer Hanna Bakhtsina. It is already known that the trial will be closed, by there is no precise information whether Artur Finkevich will be taken to it or everything will take place in his absence.

14.01.2008 Authorities Demand Explanations from Political Parties

The Justice Ministry of Belarus has demanded explanations from the United Civil Party, the Party of Communists Belarusian and Belarusian People’s Front concerning the participation of their leaders in the unsanctioned protest rally of small businessman on 10 January. Such explanations must be given to the ministry by 14 January.

10.01.2008 Viachaslau Siwchyk Sentenced to 10 Days of Jail

At about 7.10 p.m. on 9 January in the center of Minsk the police detained an opposition activist Viachaslau Siwchyk. According to his mother, Halina Siwchyk, he was accused of dirty swearing and guarded to Tsentralny district police department of Minsk. This night he spent in the remand prison in Akrestsin Street.

14.12.2007 Unlawful Restriction of Foreign Travels to Anatol Liabedzka

The chairman of the United Civil Party Anatol Liabedzka cannot receive a permissive seal for foreign travels for a month already. He believes that it is KGB who sanctioned this restriction.

14.12.2007 Homel Oblast UCP Office Searched again

At about 12.20 a.m. four workers of Homel oblast KGB office came to the private house where Homel city branch of the United Civil Party rents an office.

14.12.2007 Brest: Participants of Anti-Putin Picket Get Imprisoned

A human rights activist Uladzimir Vialichkin told RFE/RL that the riot police detained several public activists near the General consulate of Russia in Brest.

14.12.2007 Participants of Another Action of Protest against Putin’s Visits Detained in Niamiha Street

Actions 'For Independent Belarus' continue in Minsk. Another action against Vladimir Putin’s visit to Belarus was organized at 6.20 p.m. on 13 December. Several dozens of activists of the civil campaign 'For Freedom!' with a banner ‘Putin, Go Home!’ came out to the Minsk center in Niamiha Street. The young people unfurled European, national and official Belarusian flags. They chanted ‘Putin, Go Home!’ ‘Independence!’, ‘No unions with Russia!’, ‘It’s not Russia here!’ and tore portraits of Putin into pieces.

11.12.2007 Politicial Prisoner Finkevich to Be Tried on 20 December

According to the information of Mahiliou human rights activist Barys Bukhel, the consideration of the criminal case against Artur Finkevich was appointed on 20 December. The trial will start at 10.30 a.m. The court has directed to Mahiliou state university a request to provide an interpreter into Belarusian.

11.12.2007 Viktar Ivashkevich: Trial Delayed

The trial over the deputy head of the Belarusian People’s Front party Viktar Ivashkevich has started today in the court of Tsentralny district of Minsk.

10.12.2007 Masty: Ales Zarembiuk Accused of Unauthorized Picketing

As Ales Zarembiuk told Radio 'Racyja'¸ on 10 December he received a telephone call from the senior inspector of the law and order section of Masty district police department Aliaksandr Danilchyk. The inspector asked the activist to come to the police department. He explained that he had brought to the prosecutor’s office Zarembiuk’s explanatory note concerning a recent meeting of Aliaksandr Milinkevich with the citizens of Masty and the prosecutor’s office ordered him to compose on Zarembiuk a report for organization of unauthorized meeting. Ales Zarembiuk refused to come to the police department without official summons.

10.12.2007 Youth Activist Katsiaryna Salauyova Gets Rehabilitated at University

Katsiaryna Salauyova was informed about it by the rector of Polatsk State University during an unofficial talk. However, he said that she could be expelled again after the first detention or other punishment.

07.12.2007 Activist of BPF Youth Threatened with Property Confiscation and Travel Restrictions

Today the activist of the BPF Youth Zmitser Zhaleznichenka was summonsed to Chyhunachny district court of Homel. The court marshal Dzianis Saponenka demanded from the activist explanations why he did not pay any fines.

07.12.2007 Vitsebsk: Aliaksandr Danileuski Sentenced to 180 Hours of Corrective Labor

The first-year student of the European Humanities University Aliaksandr Danileuski has been punished with 180 hours of corrective labor within the frames of the Criminal Case under article 380, part 1 of the Criminal Code of the Republic of Belarus (forging, production, usage or distribution of forged documents, seals and blanks).