News on the topic: Viasna
22.04.2009 Supreme Court turns down claim by Nasha Viasna
On 22 April the Supreme Court of Belarus turned down the complaint by the founders of the Nasha Viasna human rights organization. Judge Ihar Milto found the decision by the Ministry of Justice legal due to certain procedural violations, including inaccuracies in the founders’ lists and the organization’s Charter. Besides, state duty payment receipt lacked the name of the NGO. All other arguments of the Ministry of Justice were found legally invalid. The court stressed that the above-mentioned flaws could not be corrected within the period of registration since the postponement of registration is not the duty but the right of the registration authority.
13.04.2009 Belarusian MFA ignores decision of UN Human Rights Committee
Ales Bialiatski, the chairman of the board of the Human Rights Center Viasna that was liquidated in October 2003, received an answer from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to his recent inquiry. He asked the MFA to explain what measures had been taken for implementation of the ruling of the UN Human Rights Committee concerning registration of Viasna.
31.03.2009 Ales Bialiatski: ‘Currently, the Belarusian society is constrained by repressive legislation’
Shortly after the Nasha Viasna constituent congress on 29 March, the NGO’s Chair Ales Bialiatski commented on the underlying reasons for another attempt to obtain state registration. ‘In fact, there has been a continuous process: on the one hand, we have not appealed the refusal by the Ministry of Justice yet. On the other hand, we have held another constituent congress on 29 March to draw up one more application to the Ministry of Justice. The decision is closely connected to the extremely low amount of impartial considerations of similar refusals by the Supreme Court. One can count them on the fingers of one hand – the organizations that managed to protect their rights at the Supreme Court.
31.03.2009 Nasha Viasna helds congress
On 29 March, the Belarusian Popular Front’s central office hosted another constituent congress of the Nasha Viasna human rights organization, attended by its 82 representatives from all over the country. As a result of the congress, the human rights activists voted for the formation of the NGO, its charter and the action program. They also elected the governing bodies of the organization, including its Board, Chairperson and the auditing committee.
27.03.2009 Supreme Court to entertain claim by Nasha Viasna
Today on 27 March the co-founders of the Nasha Viasna human rights organization received a letter from the Supreme Court of Belarus saying that the complaint against the unlawful refusal to register the NGO was received for consideration by the court. The session is due to start on 7 April. On 26 February the Ministry of Justice resolved to deny registration to Nasha Viasna. The cofounders of the organization stress that the decision was groundless and illegal. They also claim it is an evidence of systematic discrimination against the founders and the members of Nasha Viasna, as well as a sign of disrespect for the rights of Belarusian citizens.
20.03.2009 Nasha Viasna to keep striving for registration
The co-founders of the human rights organization Nasha Viasna have declared that they would continue their attempts to obtain the official status. They have arrived at a decision to hold another congress and once again apply for registration at the Ministry of Justice. On February 26 the NGO was denied registration due to ‘the violation of holding its constituent congress’. Therefore, Nasha Visna is now looking for premises to hold the meeting. However, the NGO is likely to face numerous refusals by state-owned enterprises.
17.03.2009 Human rights activist Ales Bialiatski addresses Belarusian Foreign Minister
‘I, Ales Bialiatski, am Chair of the Council of the Public Association Human Rights Center Viasna, closed down by verdict of the Supreme Court of the Republic of Belarus of 28 October 2003. Considering the decision of the Supreme Court a violation of the freedom of association and having failed to receive an adequate remedy on the national level, ten founders of the Public Association Human Rights Center Viasna used their constitutional right and submitted an individual complaint to the UN Human Rights Committee.
12.03.2009 Fantasies of the Ministry of Justice about ‘Nasha Viasna’
On 11 March the press-release On denial of the state registration to the Civil human rights association ‘Nasha Viasna’ appeared on the web-site of the Ministry of Justice of the Republic of Belarus. We, human rights defenders, cannot leave this information without notice.
09.03.2009 Human rights civil association ‘Brestskaya Viasna’ is denied registration again
The fourth attempt to register the human rights organization in Brest oblast was unsuccessful. The main justice department of Brest oblast executive committee refused to register the civil human rights association Brestskaya Viasna.
04.03.2009 Valiantsin Stefanovich: no one can prohibit human rights activities to me
Lawyer Valiantsin Stefanovich, one of the founders of the civil human rights association Nasha Viasna, gave the following commentary concerning the registration denial:
03.03.2009 Refusal to register ‘Nasha Viasna’ is a manifestation of systematic and purposeful discrimination of human rights activists
On 2 March 2009 the Ministry of Justice of the Republic of Belarus decided to deny the state registration to the civil human rights association Nasha Viasna, the successor of the liquidated civil association Human Rights Center ‘Viasna’.
03.03.2009 Uladzimir Labkovich: ‘It is obvious that non-registration of ‘Nasha Viasna’ is a political decision’
Today on our own initiative we have received a copy of the decision of the Ministry of Justice concerning the registration denial to us (we could not receive it by mail as quickly as that, because it is dated 2 March). Bear in mind that the answer was taken after the expiry of the legally established term for giving such answers.
03.03.2009 Ministry of Justice refuses to register ‘Nasha Viasna’
On 3 March the representative of interests of the civil human rights association Nasha Viasna Uladzimir Labkovich received a copy of the decision of the Ministry of Justice On registration denial to the public association.
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.
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.
