16.09.2010 Kyrgyzstan: Human rights defender Azimzhan Askarov is sentenced to life imprisonment

On September 15 the court in the Masy village, the Nooken district of the Jalal-Abad Oblast of Kyrgyzstan, sentenced the prominent human rights advocate Azimzhan Askarov to life imprisonment with confiscation of property.

10.09.2010 Valiantsin Stefanovich: nobody conducts investigation in such a way

Aliaksandr Frantskevich’s counsel cannot find his client for three days. On 3 September several anarchists were detained within the framework of the criminal case that had been instigated under Article 339, part 2 for an assault on the Russian Embassy. In three days they were released and immediately detained again, in connection with the criminal case under Article 339, part 1 – connected with an assault on the building of the Federation of Trade Unions. They were to have been taken to the Leninski District Police Department, but this information wasn’t confirmed. The actual whereabouts of the detained people remains unknown.

25.08.2010 Brest Viasna HR group seeks registration

Uladzimir Vialichkin and Uladzimir Malei, co-founders of the Brest Viasna human rights association, have addressed the city’s justice department with a statement, demanding to reverse the 20 August court verdict, denying state registration to the HR group.

25.08.2010 Belarusian HR activist Volha Karach awarded Radebeuler Couragepreis

Belarusian human rights defender Volha Karach has been awarded the international Radebeuler Couragepreis, Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty reports.

25.08.2010 Brest court returns the materials of Raman Kisliak's case back to the police

The court of the Leninski district of Brest returned the materials of the administrative case of the human rights activist Raman Kisliak back to the police on August 24, informs BelaPAN.

10.08.2010 Mahiliou court rules to evict local human rights group

Mahiliou Human Rights Center will have to pay BYR 13,658,000 of rent to Leninski district housing department, as ordered by Mahiliou Regional Economic Court, Radio Racyja reports.

21.07.2010 Relatives of policeman's victim apply to 'Viasna'

The relatives of the girl who had been shot dead by a policeman applied to the Human Rights Center Viasna saying they didn't believe the official version, according to which it was an accidental shot. The human rights are convinced of the necessity to organize a public supervision over the investigation of this criminal case.

20.07.2010 Ales Bialiatski became honorary citizen of Genoa

The municipality of the Italian city of Genoa granted the status of honorary citizen to Ales Bialiatski, Chairperson of the Human Rights Center Viasna. The Italian society expressed thereby its concern with the situation of human rights in Belarus, particularly the use of the death penalty, restriction of the freedom of the media and civil and political rights.

14.07.2010 Homel authorities: no money – no rights

On 12 July, the Tsentralny District Court of Homel considered the lawsuit of the Homel human rights defenders Anatol Paplauny and Leanid Sudalenka against the ban imposed by the Homel City Executive Committee on over 30 pickets that the activists planned to hold in the most populous places of the city on 1 June in order to mark the International Children’s Day.

06.07.2010 Will Barysau authorities review their decision concerning determined places for mass events?

Recently, the Barysau District Court fined, Ales Abramovich, a democratic activist from Barysau, 875,000 rubles (about $290) under Article 34.34, part 2 of the Code of Administrative Offences, ‘violation of the rules of holding mass events’. The activist appealed against the verdict at the Minsk Region Court. The activist intends to proceed up to the UN Human Rights Committee if his claims won’t be granted at the national level.

24.06.2010 Registration of Brest Viasna suspended

The Chief Department of Justice of Brest regional executive committee ruled to suspend the state registration of the ‘Brest Viasna’ human rights association due to a number of trivial reasons, Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty reports.

14.06.2010 Navapolatsk: provocation against human rights defender Zmitser Salauyou

Human rights defender Zmitser Salauyou received an answer to his complaint to the Navapolatsk Town Procuracy, signed by prosecutor A.Ausiuk. Mr. Salauyou states that the facts that are set forth in this letter are a provocation.

09.06.2010 Constitutional Court answered to Leanid Sudalenka

The Homel human rights defender received an answer from the Constitutional Court to the application that had been submitted by him and Anatol Paplauny. In this document, the applicants asked the court to adopt a ruling aimed at the direct implementation by courts of the universally accepted principles and norms of international legislations and the international treaties ratified by the Republic of Belarus.

28.05.2010 Supreme Court upholds registration denial to Belarusian branch of international human rights group

The Supreme Court of Belarus has dismissed an appeal filed by founders of a Belarusian branch of the Ukrainian-based International Helsinki Association for Human Rights against the denial of registration by the justice ministry.

The Court pronounced the judgment on May 26.

28.05.2010 Amnesty International’s Report is a signal for Belarusian authorities, say human rights activists

Belarusian human rights activists say that the annual Report 2010 released by the Amnesty International human rights organization is a grave signal for the Belarusian authorities to promptly start the liberalization of the national legislation and bring the means of its implementation in accordance with the international standards in the field of civil and political rights.