News on the topic: human rights defenders
23.08.2012 Minsk City Court’s Judicial Board turns down complaint by Hary Pahaniayla
Human rights defender Hary Pahaniayla appealed the judgment of Minsk Maskouski District Court. He asked to recognize actions by the Ministry of Justice and the Interior Ministry illegal, which led to his groundless inclusion in a data bank of "persons restricted to travel".
22.08.2012 Ales Bialiatski spoken about in Thailand
Mr. Shiwei Ye, activist of the International Federation for Human Rights’ office in Bangkok, attended a meeting on the situation with human rights in Belarus to tell about the FIDH’s imprisoned vice-president Ales Bialiatski.
22.08.2012 Baranavichy observer fined on hooliganism charges
The Court of Baranavichy fined last evening local human rights defender Siarhei Housha 1.5 mln. roubles after Judge Vasil Petryu found the observer guilty of "using vulgar words in public" while talking to chair of constituency election commission No. 5 Mrs. Tatsiana Latyshava back on 23 July.
20.08.2012 Observatory for the Protection of Human Rights Defenders strongly condemns harassment of Ms. Tatsiana Revyaka
The Observatory for the Protection of Human Rights Defenders, a joint programme of the International Federation for Human Rights (FIDH) and the World Organisation Against Torture (OMCT), has received new information and requests your urgent intervention in the following situation in Belarus.
17.08.2012 Human rights defender Tatsiana Reviaka questioned by KGB (updated)
Mrs. Tatsiana Reviaka, member of the Human Rights Center Viasna’s Council, has been summoned for “conversation” to the KGB central office, after she received an official writ, saying that she should be questioned “as a person being aware of circumstances that have significance for maintaining the national security of the Republic of Belarus.”
15.08.2012 Human Rights Defenders join the campaign of the Belarusian Association of Journalists for the release of Siarhei Basharymau and Anton Surapin
The Human Rights Center “Viasna” joined the initiative of the Belarusian Association of Journalists aimed at the change of the restraint to journalist Anton Surapin who has been kept in the pre-trial prison of the KGB since 13 July. The human rights defenders also solicit for the change of the restraint to real estate agent Siarhei Basharymau, who, together with Surapin, received charges of assistance to unlawful crossing of the state boundary of the Republic of Belarus (Part 6 of Article 16 and Part 3 of Article 371 of the Criminal Code) and their release on bail.
14.08.2012 Baranavichy observer charged with “disorderly conduct” addresses prosecutor
Observer Siarhei Housha filed a written application to the Baranavichy prosecutor against actions of officers of the Baranavichy District Police Department. On 2 August he was summonsed to room #100 of the Baranavichy DPD by police inspector Mikalai Kudrautsau in connection with an administrative case brought against him under Article 17.1, “disorderly conduct”.
13.08.2012 Brest police pay interest to Malei’s solidarity race with Bialiatski
On 11 August captain Mikalai Selivonik, a police inspector of the Leninski district of Brest, phoned to human rights defender Uladzimir Malei and stated that he was to visit the police department in connection with his race along the streets of Brest on 4 August, on the anniversary of the imprisonment of the head of the Human Rights Center “Viasna” Ales Bialiatski.
10.08.2012 Ales Bialiatski: “I am a persistent violator!”
Back in the middle of June the imprisoned head of the Human Rights Center “Viasna” Ales Bialiatski wrote in his letter to Valiantsin Stefanovich: “It seems to me that the reprimands I have received are not the last ones”. The new information from Babruisk, where Ales is currently kept, confirms these words. Thus, in his letter to Valiantsin Stefanovich of 5 August he writes about more reprimands, issued to him by the administration of penal colony #2.
07.08.2012 Ales Bialiatski appointed Ambassador of the Republic of Užupis to “Viasna”
“We have much hope that this small symbolic step will be important for Ales and all Belarusian human rights activists" - said Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Užupis Thomas Chapaytsis.
07.08.2012 Valiantsin Stefanovich: Belarusians can apply to Strasbourg court
A politically motivated ban to leave Russia for Belarusians will violate the Convention on Human Rights.
07.08.2012 General procuracy to human rights defenders: no grounds to consider Your appeal
The General Procuracy answered the address of the heads of a number of human rights organizations concerning the problem of preventive detentions and administrative punishment of civil activists and representatives of youth opposition group by sending a letter to the E-mail address of the Human Rights Center “Viasna”.
07.08.2012 Petition for release of Ales Bialiatski and all political prisoners passed to Ambassador of Belarus to Lithuania (video)
On 6 August Lithuanian and Belarusian civil activists gathered near the Belarusian Embassy in Vilnius to express solidarity with the well-known human rights defender Ales Bialiatski, detained a year ago and sentenced to 4.5 years of prison for work for the human rights in Belarus.
07.08.2012 Confiscation of property of human rights defender Mr Ales Bialiatski set to go ahead
On 4 July 2012, the Court of Pervomayski District of Minsk confirmed the list of property to be confiscated as part of the sentence handed down to Mr Ales Bialiatski in 2011 for alleged 'tax evasion on a large scale'.
06.08.2012 International Solidarity Day with Civil Society and Human Rights Movement of Belarus (photo report)
Actions in support of Ales Bialiatski and all political prisoners in Belarus were held on 4 August in different countries of the world: France, Germany, Poland, Ukraine, Russia, Lithuania, Georgia, Armenia, Switzerland, Norway… We propose to your attention a photo report from these actions.
