The Human Rights Center “Viasna”

News for 30 Aug 2007

30.08.2007 Five and One Reasons Not to Register Human Rights Association ‘Viasna’

The founders of the human rights public association ‘Viasna’ have finally received an official letter of the Ministry of Justice ‘On refusal of state registration for the public association’. There are several reasons that have been invented by the officials for the refusal.

30.08.2007 Homel Police Detain People for Celebrating Lukashenka’s Birthday

On 30 August in the center of Homel the police in mufti detained four youth activists: Siarhei Astafonau, Vital Birukou, Andrei Tsianiuta and Zmitser Zhaleznichenka. The detainees were told that they were suspected in robbery. All of them were taken to Tsentralny district police department of Homel for ‘identification’.

30.08.2007 Homel: Activist Struggles for Authorization of Meeting

On 29 August Tsentralny district court of Homel rejected the suit of the local public activist Piatro Kuzniatsou against the refusal of Homel city executive committee to authorize a meeting against repeal of social benefits.

30.08.2007 Preventive Detention in Aziarets Settlement on the Eve of Lukashenka’s Visit

Today, on 30 August, Zhdanovichy court sentenced an activist of the civil campaign For Freedom! from Aziarets Yauhen Silvanovich to five days of jail. The activist was detained in the evening of 29 August by workers of Zhdanovichy district police department.

30.08.2007 Polish Spies to Be Tried the Same Day with 'Young Front' Activists

On 29 August we learned that the court hearings on the espionage case will start at the military college board of the Supreme Court on 4 September. The trial will be closed.

30.08.2007 Chernobyl Liquidator Vasil Silivestr Stops Hunger-strike

On 27 August the liquidator of the consequences of Chernobyl accident Vasil Silivestr came from Kalinkavichy to the Homel scientific-practical center of radiation medicine to make a public statement about termination of the hunger-strike of protest that was started by him last week.

30.08.2007 Mikalai Autukhovich: Repentance for Parole?

A well-known entrepreneur Mikalai Autukhovich has served almost half of the 3,5 years to which he has been sentenced for alleged non-payment of taxes. Recently he has passed a letter to his friends and relatives. There he writes that most probably he would not be granted parole (though those who have served a half of the term can count on it).

30.08.2007 Riot Squad Not Punished for Beating a Girl

Maskouski district police department of Minsk refused to bring a criminal case on beating of a youth activist Tatsiana Tsishkevich by riot police. The girl was beaten by them on Solidarity Day, 16 August, while trying to prevent the detention of a youth leader Mikita Sasim by them. They threw her on the ground and started kicking her in the back, legs and head.

30.08.2007 Homel: Youth Activist Declares Dry Hunger-strike

At 2 p.m. on 29 August Chyhunachny district court of Homel sentenced a member of the organizing committee of the Belarusian Christian Democracy Party Kanstantsin Zhukouski to 5 days of jail and 930 000 (about 430 US dollars) rubles fine.

30.08.2007 Trial of Young Front Activist Yaraslau Hryshchenia to Take Place on 10 September

On 29 August the youth activist Yaraslau Hryshchenia received a summons from Baranavichy district court. According to this document the trial will start at 9.30 a.m. on 10 September. The name of the judge is not known yet. Hryshchenia is charged under article 193.1 of the Criminal Code, ‘activities on behalf of unregistered organization’. On 4 September the Young Front activists Ivan Shyla and Nasta Azarka will be tried: the former in Salihorsk and the latter – in Niasvizh.

30.08.2007 Minsk City Court Leaves Verdict to Kanstantsin Lukashou in Force

In the evening of 28 August Minsk city court left unchanged the verdict to Kanstantsin Lukashou, two years of conditional imprisonment for alleged resistance to the police.

30.08.2007 Criminal Cases Can Be Brought against More Young Front Members

The prosecutor’s office of Baranavichy has brought a criminal case on the fact of making political graffiti on the walls of Baranavichy city court.

30.08.2007 Hrodna: Prosecutor’s Office Struggles against ‘Discredit of Police’

On 29 August the journalist Ivan Roman was called to Leninski district prosecutor’s office of Hrodna. The prosecutor started investigating if Ivan Roman had been the author of ‘the governmental body discrediting’ news story published at Radio Ratsyja website in July.

30.08.2007 UN Commission Pays Interest to Investigation of Zakharanka’s Disappearance

The UN Commission on Enforced and Involuntary Disappearance resumed its interest in the case of the former interior minister Yury Zakharanka who had disappeared in 1999. A couple of days ago a corresponding UNO claim was received by the Zkharankas’ lawyer Aleh Volchak. According to him, the UN Commission is to gather at its extraordinary meeting for considering the record of investigations of the disappeared policymakers’ cases in Belarus. The Commission is eager to learn the viewpoints of all the sides involved in the process.

30.08.2007 Russian Citizen on Hunger-strike in Minsk Prison

On 24 August the citizen of Russia Nikolai Kostishev imprisoned in jail #1 went on hunger-strike. The organizing committee for creation of the Belarusian committee for protection of prisoners’ rights Over the Barrier was informed about it by one of the prisoner’s relatives.