The Human Rights Center “Viasna”

News for 6 Sep 2007

06.09.2007 Women’s Party ‘Nadzeya’ Faces Liquidation

A preliminary meeting of the sides of the trial at the Supreme Court of Belarus will take place on 12 September.

06.09.2007 Homel: Police Detain Youth Activist Andrei Tsianiuta

In Homel the police detained the youth activist Andrei Tsianiuta. According to the duty policeman of Homel regional transport police department Ruslan Maltsau, Tsianiuta looked like a suspect in a raping that was committed on 23 August in Minsk or in the Aseyeuka settlement in Minsk district. 40 minutes after the detention the policemen apologized to Tsianiuta and released him. The youngster missed his train, but the policemen took his ticket to the booking office and returned to him the money for it.

06.09.2007 Mahiliou: Police Detain Distributors of Youth Bulletin

At about 8 p.m. on 5 September in Leninskaya Street in Mahiliou the police detained for handing out Moladzevy biuleten UFF-BY.org (Youth Bulletin) three under aged persons: Ales Anisimau, Artsiom Davydau and Kastus Yauseyeu. 173 copies of the edition were confiscated from them.

06.09.2007 Minsk: Unidentified Person Detained Near BPF Office

Several hours ago an unidentified old man was detained by the police near the Minsk office of the Belarusian People’s Front Party in Masherau Avenue, 8. The policemen detained him and lead to the Academy of the Internal Affairs that is situated near the BPF office. HRC Viasna learned that before the detention the man visited the BPF office and left it with a copy of Right to Freedom bulletin.

06.09.2007 Rahachou: Authorities Hinder Registration of Center for Support of Entrepreneurs

As said by an initiator of the establishment of the Center for Support of Entrepreneurs Ala Hurevich, for registration of the center they need the authorities to exclude their house from the fund of residential buildings. However, Rahachou district executive committee directed the woman to Homel regional committee. Homel committee, in its turn, sent her to the department of housing economy. The department again returned her to Rahachou district executive committee.

06.09.2007 Youth Activist Yaraslau Hryshchenia’s Father Threatened with Firing

Human Rights Center Viasna learned that Yaraslau Hryshchenia’s father Siarhei Hryshchenia had been summonsed to the ideology department of Baranavichy plant of constructions and construction details at which he headed a working brigade. The authorities proposed to him to quit the job, because he was a member of an independent trade union and it was incompatible with his position at the plant. Hryshchenia is not a member of any trade union and has a working contract till 2009, but in the case he refuses to leave the job on his own will, the administration threatens to fire him. It is an evident case of pressurization of a person, whose son actively struggles for democratic transformations in Belarus.

06.09.2007 Hrodna: Prosecutor’s Office Intimidates Journalists

Kastrychnitski district prosecutor’s office of Hrodna has issued official warnings to the local journalist Natallia Makushyna for cooperation with the foreign radio station Deutsche Welle. In the warnings it was stated that the journalists’ materials were tendentious and could be harmful to the international image of the Republic of Belarus.

06.09.2007 Brest: Court Punishes Two Participants of Meeting with Pavel Seviarynets

On 4 September Maskouski district court of Brest tried two participants of a meeting with Pavel Seviarynets at the local BPF office. Participants of the meeting at which Seviarynets presented his two books were detained and taken to the police station.

06.09.2007 Niasvizh: Criminal Trial against Nasta Azarka Ends with Fine. Detentions outside Court

On 4 September in Niasvizh a Young Front activist Anastasia Azarka was fined 1 240 000 Belarusian rubles (about 600 US dollars). The verdict was issued by judge Maryia Dunayeva. The youth activist was charged with activities on behalf of an unregistered organisation (article 193.1 of the Criminal Code). The prosecutor demanded to fine her 500 15 500 000 Belarusian rubles (about 7 200 US dollars).

06.09.2007 Salihorsk: Criminal Trial over Ivan Shyla Is Accompanied with Detentions and Imprisonments

On 4 September trials over the Young Front activists Ivan Shyla and Nasta Azarka took place in Salihorsk and Niasvizh. The activists were charged under article 193.1 of the Criminal Code (activities on behalf of unregistered organization). Dozens of people gathered near the courts to support the youth activists.

06.09.2007 Police Disrupt Meeting with Seviarynets on His Release from Jail

In the morning of 4 September Pavel Seviarynets, chairman of the organizing committee of Belarusian Christian Democracy Party, was released after 15 days of jail which he served in Brest