News on the topic: language rights
04.03.2009 Fined for action in support of Belarusian language
The court of Tsentralny district of Homel has fined participants of the rally in support of the native language 525 000 rubles ($185).
28.01.2009 More Belarusian to be used on state TV
During his meeting with the leader of the Belarusian Language Society Aleh Trusau, head of the state-owned TV channel BT Aliaksandr Zimouski said Belarusian would be more widely used on air, including a number of daily and weekly programs in Belarusian and a monthly talk-show on the problems of the language status in Belarus.
21.01.2009 Belarusian-language schools to become extinct in 5 years
According to the data, provided by the Ministry of Statistics, only 1.9% of Belarusian first formers go to Belarusian-language schools, which is 30 times less than in 1993. In total, there are 18.4% of Belarusian-speaking schoolchildren, the urban schools having as little as 1.9% Belarusian-language pupils.
17.10.2008 Belarusian language society calls for legislation changes
According to European Radio, Belarusian Language Society has received a reply from the Ministry of Education. The organization is demanding to introduce changes to the language legislation.
12.02.2008 Young Front Supports Candidacy of Zmitser Zhaleznichenka for Student Peace Prize
The underground youth organization Young Front has supported the initiative of the Belarusian human rights activist, the Human Rights Center Viasna and the BPF Youth (youth wing of the Belarusian People’s Front Party) for nomination of an activist of the BPF Youth Zmitser Zhaleznichenka for Student Peace Prize.
09.01.2008 Hrodna: Advertisement of Belarusian-language Kindergarten Group Prohibited
During the last months the authorities of Hrodna do not allow the advertisement of Belarusian-language kindergarten group in public transport.
14.12.2007 Norwegian PEN-center and IPA: Freedom of Expression Is Violated in Belarus
During the last two years the government of Belarus did not improve the situation of the freedom of expression and continued pressurizing journalists and writers. This is the opinion presented in the report of representatives of the Norwegian PEN-center and the International Publishers’ Association on the results of their visits to Belarus in November 2007.
14.12.2007 Poets Get Imprisoned for Speaking ‘Ruffian’ Language
On 13 December Tsentralny district court of Minsk sentenced the Belarusian poets Siarzhuk Minskevich and Ales Turovich to three days of jail and fined Zmitser Vishniou 175 000 Belarusian rubles (about 81 USD).
02.11.2007 Lukashanets Proposes to Introduce Exam in Belarusian for Officials
The director of the Institute of Linguistics of the Academy of Sciences proposed to establish an additional demand for pretenders to work in the state organs. Aliaksandr Lukashanets proposed scientists to initiate a legal norm, according to which a good command of both languages would become an obligatory condition for employment to the organs of the state government.
05.10.2007 Siarhei Siamionau Justified
On 4 October Tsentralny district court of Homel justified Siarhei Siamionau because of absence of corpus delicti in his actions.
20.09.2007 Alexander Shpileuski: Absence of Belarusian Language Declaration Forms Is My Personal Mistake
“Now, on the request of citizens, a customs officer will be able to print out the documents in Belarusian language”, -- Alexander Shpileuski said.
20.09.2007 Chairman of the Constitutional Court: No One Cancelled Responsibility for Disrespect for Belarusian Language
“No one cancelled responsibility for disrespect for the state language”, -- Ryhor Vasilevich, chairman of the Constitutional Court, stated on September 18th, in Minsk during seminar “Facilitating wider application of international standards in the sphere of human rights in the judicial process in Belarus”.
11.09.2007 Homel: Customs Officers again Compose Violation Report for Demand of Customs Blank in Belarusian
On 9 September the workers of Homel customs office again composed a report for administrative violation against a local activist Siarhei Siamionau who demanded from them a blank of the customs declaration in the Belarusian language. According to Siamionau, he was crossing the Ukrainian border by train and the customs officers told him to fill a declaration at the crossing point Novaya Huta.
31.08.2007 Siarhei Siamionau Fined for Demanding Belarusian Version of Customs Declaration
The Homel activist Siarhei Siamionau was fined 930 000 rubles (about 432 US dollars) for a demand to give him a blank of the customs declaration in Belarusian. The verdict was issued by the judge of Tsentralny district court of Homel Maryia Damenka.
31.08.2007 Ales Bialiatsi: Lukashenka’s System Ruthlessly Eradicates Belarusian Language
As a result of the referendum of 1995 Belarusian lost the status of the only state language and the Belarusian authorities returned to the practice of the large-scale suppression of the language of the titular nation. During the last ten years the Lukashenka-established state system has ruthlessly eradicated the Belarusian language.
