02.03.2009 ‘Berastseiskaya Viasna’ – attempt #2

On 2 March the initiative group of human rights activists filed documents for registration of the human rights NGO Berastseiskaya Viasna to the justice department of Brest oblast executive committee.

02.03.2009 Supreme Court turns down Siarhei Panamarou’s cassation complaint

The deputy head of the Supreme Court Valer Kalinkovich upheld the verdict of Kletsk district court, according to which an activist of For Freedom movement was fined for allegedly preparing an unsanctioned mass action.

27.02.2009 Poet Henadz Buraukin speaks in support of Nasha Viasna

The famous Belarusian poet and translator Henadz Buraukin has commented on the registration of the Nasha Viasna human rights organization. ‘There are human rights activists in every country and every society. Belarus is no exception. Although, on the one hand, the state should first of all maintain the fundamental rights of its citizens as provided by the Constitution, secure their freedoms, on the other hand, it has to make its officials respond for the implementation of their duties in the field of human rights. On the other hand, in case the human rights activity is supported by the society or its part represented by human rights NGOs, watching over the implementation of human rights, finding drawbacks, and working out recommendations for state officials – this is done for the sake of a common cause.

27.02.2009 Swedish Initiative for Democracy and Human Rights issues statement on Nasha Viasna registration

The Sweden-based Initiative for Democracy and Human Rights has addressed the Belarusian Minister of Justice Viktar Halavanau, the Minister of Foreign Affairs Sirahei Martynau and Deputy head of the Administration of President Lukashenka with a statement concerning the registration of the Nasha Viasna human rights association.

26.02.2009 ‘Nasha Viasna’ got no answer from the Ministry of Justice in the due term

Today the human rights activist Uladzimir Labkovich, the legal representative of the interests of founders of the civil human rights association Nasha Viasna, called to the specialist of the Ministry of Justice Alexander Kharyton to ask about the ministry’s decision concerning the registration of the human rights association.

26.02.2009 Assembly of NGOs to take place in Minsk on 6-7 March

The Assembly of Pro-Democratic NGOs is to take place in Minsk on 6-7 March. More than 300 have been already invited to take part in it. The previous assembly took place in 2004. Many things have changed since that time.

25.02.2009 Mikhas Pashkevich speaks in support of Nasha Viasna

Mikhas Pashekvich, leader of the UCPB’s youth wing ‘Young Democrats’, has commented on the situation with the registration of the Nasha Viasna human rights organization. ‘The registration of Nasha Viasna is necessary to enable the professionals work freely and efficiently. The lists of the Ministry of Justice include a lot of puppet NGOs that nobody knows and nobody needs, only necessary for the sake of creating the décor. At the same time, members of Viasna have proved their competence, constantly running the risk of being prosecuted for illegal activities under Article 193. So the issue of Nasha Viasna’s registration might be another touchstone for Belarus. I do hope that the government will behave sensibly and refrain from confusing human rights activity with politics.’

25.02.2009 Youth historical NGO Talaka warned

Homel Regional Department of Justice has issued a warning to the youth local history public association Talaka for using the unregistered insignia on its website advertisements. According to Talaka head Larysa Shchyrakova, the justice department considered the abbreviation of Talaka’s name a separate logo. ‘The warning must be caused by the increasing public activity of the NGO’, says Mrs.Shchyrakova.

25.02.2009 Swedish Helsinki Committe issues statement on Nasha Viasna registration

The Swedish Helsinki Committe has addressed Ms Natalia Petkevich, First Deputy Head of the Administration of the President of the Republic of Belarus, with an open letter concerning the registration of the Nasha Viasna human rights organization and urging the presidential administration to ensure registration of 'this important human rights organisation.'

24.02.2009 Anti-nuclear power plant newspaper launched in Hrodna region

According to Mikola Ulasevich, leader of the public campaign ‘Astravets nuclear power plant is a crime’, there has appeared the first issue of the Astravetski vesnik newspaper. The newspaper is not registered and will be issued in 299 copies, which is not forbidden by the law. The first issue covers the possible construction of a nuclear power plant outside the town of Astravets, Hrodna region. The activists claim that a nuclear power plant should not be constructed in the earthquake-prone area of Belarus. Besides they stress that the construction of a nuclear power plant in the post-Chernobyl Belarus is a crime, which will eventually result in another irreparable global disaster.

23.02.2009 Aliaksandr Milinkevich speaks in support of Nasha Viasna

Aliaksandr Milinkevich, Belarusian politician who was nominated by the leading opposition parties in Belarus to run against Lukashenka in the presidential election on 19 March 2006, commented on the situation with the registration of the Nasha Viasna human rights organization. ‘Nasha Viasna is the leading Belarusian human rights NGO with an excellent history. Its members specialize in various kinds of human rights activities – monitoring human rights violations, providing assistance to individuals and organizations. And I think it is very important that this association be granted registration.

20.02.2009 Dzmitry Zavadski’s mother speaks in support of Nasha Viasna

Volha Zavadskaya, the mother of the disappeared journalist Dzmitry Zavadski, has expressed her support of the founders and the members of the Nasha Viasna human rights association. ‘I have known Viasna for 10 years already. I am very glad that the organization keeps working. Its members have provided a lot of legal assistance. I am very sorry they lost their legal status in 2003. I think it intolerable that the organization cannot obtain registration. Every citizen of Belarus has a right to protect his or her rights, and organizations that help us do this should exist legally. So I am for the registration of Nasha Viasna in Belarus.’

20.02.2009 Will Young Front be finally registered?

Over 30 Belarusian towns have received applications from the Young Front movement, asking for permission to hold a constituent assembly so that the organization’s local offices can obtain legal addresses. It is Young Front’s fifth attempt to receive state registration. ‘The Ministry of Justice has declared a campaign of registration of Belarusian NGOs. Most of them are local pro-government initiatives receiving official status from local authorities. The Belarusian authorities seem to be showing their willingness to develop and liberalize the civil and political spheres. So Young Front has arrived at a decision to initiate another attempt to obtain registration starting from its local offices. The decision by local authorities will be an evidence of their evidence to start a genuine dialogue with the society,’ says Young Front Chair Zmitser Dashkevich.

19.02.2009 Leaders of Union of Poles of Belarus under pressure of secret services

Teresa Silivonchyk, head of the Baranavichy branch of the unrecognized by the authorities Union of Poles in Belarus (UPB), received a warning from the prosecutor’s office about criminal responsibility for activity in an unregistered organization.

According to Andrzej Poczobut, member of the council of the organization and journalist of Gazeta Wyborcza, it hasn’t been the first case when the authorities decided to use notorious article 193-1 of the Criminal Code against members of the Union of Poles in Belarus, Radio Racyja reports.

17.02.2009 Ex-leader of Belarus speaks in support of Nasha Viasna

Mechyslau Hryb, ex-Chair of the Supreme Soviet of the 12th Convocation (1994-1996), has expressed his support to the Nasha Viasna human rights association. ‘As for the registration of Nasha Viasna, I think it is high time the organization was registered. I also think that the more human rights NGOs Belarus has, the easier it would be for Belarusian citizens to protect their rights,’ said Mr.Hryb.