News on the topic: freedom of association
04.12.2009 ‘European Belarus’ activist demands investigation of his abduction
Uladzimir Lemesh has lodged a complaint to the Prosecutor’s office of the Tsentralny district of Minsk, requiring procuracy check in connection with his abduction by the police on 27 November.
02.12.2009 Article 193-1: 4 years of illegal activity
It is 4 years since criminal liability for illegal NGO membership was introduced to the Criminal Code. ‘The anniversary’ was marked by the release of a satirical cartoon criticizing the infamous article, as part of the campaign for its repeal. The cartoon can be viewed at the Assembly of Pro-Democratic NGOs’ official web-site.
30.11.2009 “European Belarus” activist kidnapped and taken out of town
Uladzimir Lemesh was caught in the center of Minsk on November 27, forced to get into a car without license plates and taken out of town.
The oppositionist was detained by two militiamen ahead of a street action in honour of an anniversary of the Slutsk Uprising near the editor’s office of “Vyacherni Minsk” in Independence Avenue and ordered to show his ID.
20.11.2009 Mahiliouski chas newspaper denied registration again
The Ministry of Information has turned down the application for state registration by the Mahiliou-based Mahiliouski chas independent newspaper, claiming that the applicants failed to provide all the necessary documents.
19.11.2009 Salihorsk-plus independent newspaper not registered yet
According to the Belarusian Association of Journalists, the Salihorsk-based ‘Salihorsk-plus’ independent newspaper has received a reply to its application for state registration from the Ministry of Information, claiming that the edition’s declared specialization does not meet Article 12 of the Law on the Press, since it ‘violates the state standards.’ Thus, the newspaper has been denied registration for the second time. Uladzimir Shyla, founder of the newspaper, thinks that the Ministry of Information has been using imaginary grounds for rejecting the applications. The BAJ lawyers support the journalists, saying that the Ministry abuses its authority.
16.11.2009 Organizing committee of Belarusian Party of Workers sues Ministry of Justice
On 12 November the organizing committee of the Belarusian Party of Workers filed to the Supreme Court a complaint against the registration denial to the Ministry of Justice.
16.11.2009 Cultural-educational civil association ‘Golden Lion’ denied registration
The main justice department of Hrodna oblast executive committee denied the state registration to the Cultural-educational association ‘Golden Lion’ from Slonim.
16.11.2009 Santa Clauses received answer from Office of Prosecutor General
The General Prosecutor’s Office found the activities of Santa Clauses on New Year’s Eve illegal. The group of Santa Clauses will be brought to responsibility if it will be established that they take systematic part in an unregistered organization, says the letter of the General Prosecutor’s Office.
16.11.2009 Ales Bialiatski: ‘There ten times more NGOs in Armenia than in Belarus’
According to information of the BelaPAN Aleh Slizheuski, head of the civil associations board of the Ministry of Justice, stated that there was prepared a draft law that would decrease the legal terms for consideration of the documents submitted for NGOs for obtaining the state registration (at present the legal term is one month). The official also stated that the procedure of registration would be simplified.
12.11.2009 MFA advises Siarhei Housha to address local court organs for implementation of opinion of UN Human Rights Committee
Finally the human rights defender from Baranavichy Siarhei Housha got an answer to his inquiries to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Belarus about who must implement the decisions of the UN Human Rights Committee.
12.11.2009 Ministry of Information denied registration to ‘Prefekt Plus’ newspaper
As the press service of the Belarusian Association of Journalists, this is the sixth registration denial to ‘unreliable’ media outlets for the last three months. On 10 November the founder of the regional newspaper Prefekt Plus (the town of Hlybokae, Vitsebsk oblast) was returned the document he had sent to the ministry for the official registration on 7 October.
06.11.2009 Andrei Pachobut: ‘The authorities use the police and the KGB to make people refuse from membership in the Union of Poles. They are testing the reaction of the West.’
In November the EU will consider the issue on re-imposing the sanctions against the Belarusian authorities. One of the conditions put to the official Minsk by the international community is securing the rights and freedoms of the Belarusian citizens belonging to national minorities. This condition was introduced on the initiative of Poland and is a result of the complicated situation around the Union of Poles in Belarus, headed by Anzhalika Borys.
06.11.2009 Ministry of Information denied registration to ‘Maryinahorskaya’ newspaper
The Ministry of Information returned to the founder of the non-state sociopolitical regional newspaper Maryinahorskaya the document that were filed for the state registration of the edition.
04.11.2009 Vitsebsk: huge fines for white-red-white flags on Ancestors’ Day
Judge of the Kastrychnitski district Edgar Martyrasian fined Vitsebsk activists Taras Surhan and Siarhei Kavalenka 700 000 rubles (about $255) each.
23.10.2009 Human rights activist keeps reminding Foreign Ministry about its commitments
Baranavichy human rights activist Siarhei Housha has lodged a repeated complaint with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, voicing his opposition to the Ministry’s reply, which named the Optional Protocol as ‘not having a binding effect’ for the parties to the Treaty to implement the conclusions by the UN Human Rights Committee. In his complaint, the human rights activist stresses that the conclusions by the Committee ARE binding, which is stated in Article 61 of the Belarusian Constitution, securing everyone’s right, under international legal acts, ratified by Belarus, to address international organizations to protect one’s rights and freedoms, in case he or she is unable to find rehabilitation within the national legal system. According to the universal international law, a country which is a party to an international treaty must implement its provisions, which is enshrined in the Vienna Convention, to which Belarus is a party.
