News on the topic: political prisoners
09.05.2015 Ihar Alinevich placed in penal cell for May Day
April 22, political prisoner Ihar Alinevich has been again placed in a penal cell. Human Rights Center “Viasna” learned it from his mother, Valiantsina Alinevich, whom he had phoned on May 3.
08.05.2015 Will amnesty concern political prisoners?
President of Belarus Aliaksandr Lukashenka has passed to the House of Representatives the draft law "On amnesty in connection with the 70th anniversary of the Victory in the Great Patriotic War of 1941-1945". Will this amnesty concern Belarusian political prisoners?
07.05.2015 Baranavičy: prison guards refuse to pass newspapers to political prisoner Yury Rubtsou
Baranavičy civil society activists Siarhei Housha and Viktar Syrytsa have paid a visit to remand prison No. 6 in Bresckaja Street, 258 in Baranavičy and passed a parcel for the political prisoner Yury Rubtsou.
06.05.2015 Yury Rubtsou: "I am going to declare a dry hunger-strike in the case of a closed trial"
The political prisoner Yury Rubtsou has sent a letter to the Human Rights Center "Viasna". In it, he writes that he is still keeping a hunger strike and is not going to stop. In such a way Mr. Rubtsou protests against the instigation of a criminal case under Article 415 of the Penal Code against him, which he considers fraudulent.
06.05.2015 Pavel Sapelka complains about restriction of his right to attend open court hearing
May 4, the issue of changing the regime of deprivation of liberty for Mikalai Statkevich was considered at an exit trial in Škloŭ penal colony №17. The police didn't let in a representative of the European Union, human rights activists and journalists.
06.05.2015 Ales Bialiatski: Deteriorating of conditions for political prisoners is closely connected with the pre-election situation in the country
The alleged reason to change the prison regime and transfer the political prisoner Mikalai Statkevich to a cell-type prison is numerous violations of internal regulations of Škloŭ penal colony №17, where he was serving his sentence, and disobedience to the requirements of the colony.
04.05.2015 Political prisoner Mikalai Statkevich to be kept in prison for the rest of his term
The aim of the trial is toughening the prison regime for Mr. Statkevich by transferring him to a cell-type prison facility. The alleged reason for the trial are numerous violations of the internal regulations of the penal colony No. 17 in The Škloŭ by him and his refusal to obey the demands of the colony administration.
04.05.2015 Department of Corrections fails to find any facts of biased attitude to Mikalai Statkevich
Department of Corrections of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Belarus responded to the appeal sent by the educational institution "Center for Legal Transformation" and the Human Rights Center "Viasna" regarding the biased attitude to the political prisoner Mikalai Statkevich on the part of the administration of the penal colony No. 17 in Škloŭ.
30.04.2015 Mahilioŭ Regional Court turns down appeal by political prisoner Mikalai Dziadok
The Mahilioŭ Regional Court considered today an appeal by political prisoner Mikalai Dziadok, whose initial sentence by the court of Mahilioŭ’s Lieninski District Court was extended on February 26 by one year and three days. The prisoner was charged with 16 violations of prison rules, the main of which was wearing a tracksuit instead of prison uniform.
29.04.2015 UCP urges to release and rehabilitate all political prisoners
On April 28, the Political Council of the United Civil Party adopted a statement which called on the Belarusian authorities to release and rehabilitate all political prisoners.
28.04.2015 Mikalai Statkevich to stand trial in prison on May 4
The trial of political prisoner Mikalai Statkevich, who is currently held in a penal colony in Škloŭ, will start on May 4, according to a post on his wife’s account on Facebook. The former presidential candidate may be transferred to prison with maximum security.
23.04.2015 Political prisoner Yury Rubtsou receives investigation materials
According to information received by the Human Rights Center "Viasna", political prisoner Yury Rubtsou has been allowed to read the materials of the case brought against him under Article 415 of the Criminal Code - "evasion from serving punishment of restraint of liberty”. He faces four episodes of “evasion”.
19.04.2015 Political prisoner Artsiom Prakapenka denied pardon
On April 17, political prisoner Artsiom Prakapenka phoned his family from the Mahilioŭ prison and said that he had been shown a response from the commission for pardon that rejected his request without explanation. Artsiom Prakapenka says he was not allowed to have a copy of the document.
18.04.2015 Political prisoner Yauhen Vaskovich not allowed to receive books
On April 17, political prisoner Yauhen Vaskovich was visited by his mother, father and grandmother. They brought him food stuffs and hygiene products, as well as a Belarusian translation of the Bible. Earlier, the prisoner was punished with solitary confinement for refusing to give the Bible to prison staff.
17.04.2015 Political prisoner Artsiom Prakapenka may be pardoned
According to the political prisoner’s father Anatol Prakapenka, his son, Artsiom Prakapenka, may be released in the near future after he sent a petition for clemency to the President back in February. Earlier, President Lukashenka publicly promised to release political prisoners in case they sought pardon. However, Artsiom Prakapenka is still in prison.
