The Human Rights Center “Viasna”

News for 13 Sep 2007

13.09.2007 Monitoring of Violations of Christians’ Rights in January – July 2007 (Excerpts)

The monitoring contains only the most significant violations of Christians' rights by the Belarusian authorities.

13.09.2007 Andrei Tsianiuta Complains to Prosecutor’s Office, KGB Answers instead

On 12 September the public activist Andrei Tsianiuta received an answer from Homel oblast KGB office to his complaint to the prosecutor’s office.

13.09.2007 Does Belsat Already Bother Authorities?

The administration of a new satellite TV channel Belsat has stated that the Belarusian side refused to sell to it belsat.by domain without explaining the reasons to the company that acted as a mediator. Belsat is a foreign TV channel that intends to broadcast information on Belarus without state control.

13.09.2007 Zmitser Zhaleznichenka Expelled from Homel State University for Political Reasons

The dean of the mathematic faculty of Frantsishak Skaryna Homel State University has passed to Zmitser Zhaleznichenka, a third-year student with an excellent progress, an excerpt from the order of the rector Aliaksandr Rahachou to expel him from the university because of ‘regular violation of the internal regulations’.

13.09.2007 For Freedom! Movement Tries to Obtain State Registration again

On 12 September Aliaksandr Milinkevich and his allies passed to the Ministry of Justice a packet of documents for registration of the human rights and educational public association For Freedom! Movement. It is already the second attempt to get the NGO registered.

13.09.2007 Rechytsa: Police to Preventively Detain Entrepreneurs’ Leader Leanid Nevar?

On 21-22 the official agricultural festival Dazhynki-2007 is to be held in Rechytsa. The town authorities not only clean the central streets and recreational areas. They also try to prevent any problems that allegedly can be created by the local democrats.

13.09.2007 Baranavichy: Hanna Shakutska Is Fined, Her Daughter’s Case to Be Considered Soon

On 10 September in Baranavichy the police detained Hanna and Tatsiana Shakutska together with 23 other activists who came to the local court to support a Young Front activist Yaraslau Hryshchenia who was to stand a criminal trial for ‘activities on behalf of unregistered organization’ (article 193.1 of the Criminal Code).

13.09.2007 Deputy chair of the BPF Youth’s Council Illia Bohdan to Be Judged 20 September

The deputy chair of the council of the youth wing of the Belarusian People’s Front Party Illia Bohdan has received a summons to Zavadski district court of Minsk for 20 September.

13.09.2007 Methods of KGB Work with Youth on Example of Siarhei Ushakou

The deputy chair of the foreign sales department of the closed corporation Babruiskmeblia (Babruisk furniture) Siarhei Ushakou was surprised when a KGB worker Aliaksadr Kharashkevich came to him and introduced himself as the ‘curator of the plant from KGB’ (such position really exists, though in reality the plant curator is not Kharashkevich). Ushakou already knew Kharashkevich from talks with his form-mate Maksim Buinitski who had been summonsed to interrogations concerning the Young Front case this spring.

13.09.2007 Oppositional activist, Deputy of Supreme Soviet of the 13th Convocation Andrei Klimau Sentenced to 2 years of High Security Prison for Web Publication

The prosecutor’s office and Tsentralny district court of Mink confirmed to the journalist Andrei Hruzdzilovich the information about the trial over Klimau. The trial started on 30 July 2007 and ended two days later, on 1 August. The verdict was issued by the judge Alena Iliina. Klimau’s wife, Tatsiana Leanovich-Klimava, was to take part in the trial as the public defender.