The Human Rights Center “Viasna”

News for November 2007

26.11.2007 Miron conducts action in honour of Karatkevich in Vitebsk

A white-red-white flag appeared on one of the buildings of Masherau Vitebsk University on the evening of November 25. The university is situated near a monument to Uladzimir Karatkevich.

23.11.2007 BAJ Hosted Rock Musicians' Press Conference

n November, 23 the BAJ hosted a press-conference of the Belarusian rock musicians who had recently met Alieh Praliaskouski, deputy head of presidential administration. Invited were the leaders of “N.R.M." (Liavon Volski), “Palats” (Alieh Hamienka), “Krama” (Ihar Varashkievich), “Nejro Diubel” (Aliaksandar Kullinkovich), “N.R.M.” guitarist Pit Paulau as well as well-known concert organizers Uladzimir Shablinski and Paval Kashyryn.

23.11.2007 Press secretary of United Civil Party «invited» to KGB

roposal “just to talk” was too compulsive. Katsiaryna Tkachenka received a call on her mobile phone

23.11.2007 Another Multi-Million Suit for Newspaper Article

Mikalai Charhinets, head of the Committee on International Affairs and National Security of the Council of Republic, started legal action on defending honor, dignity and business reputation against a journalist and BAJ member Aliaksandr Tamkovich and a private unitary publishing enterprise “Vremia Novostej”, publishing a newspaper “Novy Chas” (“New Time”).

22.11.2007 UN Resolution Draft Denouncing Human Rights Violations in Belarus Passed

UN General Assembly Third Committee adopted a resolution draft on human rights violations in Belarus, reports UN News Centre. The situation with mass media is given extensive coverage in the resolution.

22.11.2007 Celebration of anniversary of Slutsk Defence Action permitted

The Minsk City Executive Committee permitted holding the events in places, connected with the history of Slutsk Defence Action.

19.11.2007 Belaya Rus Elects Education Minsiter Chairman

he Constituent Assembly of the national public association “Belaya Rus” (“White Russia”) was held on Nobemver 17th in the Palace of the Republic in Minsk. The members of the initiative group of this strange organization are rather motley: National Bank head Piotar Prakapovich, Minsk municipal executive committee Mikhail Paulau, sportsmen Ivan Tsikhan, Natallia Tsalinskaya, and Yulia Niestsiarenka, singer Iryna Darafeyeva, and others.

19.11.2007 Entrepreneurs Protest, Nobody Listens

1000 of individual entrepreneurs took part in a meeting held in Park of Peoples’ Friendship in Minsk on November 19th .

19.11.2007 General Prosecutor’s Office Insists on Sentence to Kazulin

The General Prosecutor’s Office refused to appeal against the sentence to former candidate for presidency political prisoner Alexander Kazulin.

15.11.2007 Ministry of Health Care Provokes Deadly Shortage

The republican scientific-practical center ‘Cardiology’ again experiences the deficiency of the expendable materials for operations on heart. For the sake of economy the doctors reduced the number of operations to the minimum. They refuse to operate the patients and even sign them out to that they will not die waiting in the center. The internet-newspaper 'Ezhednevnik' writes about this in its article.

15.11.2007 Democratic Activists Collect Signatures to Make Deputies Report about Their Achievements

This week the democratic activists of Belarus have collected signatures under a public demand to organize the reports of the deputies of the Chamber of Representatives before their electors. The activists mostly explain this situation with the fact that the deputies supported the liquidation of social benefits. The campaign for collection of signatures is coordinated by the Council of the United Democratic Forces.

15.11.2007 Supreme Court Turns up Complaint of Union of Left Forces against Non-registration

On 14 November the Supreme Court of Belarus did not grant the complaint of the Union of Left Forces against the decision of the Ministry of Justice not to register this alliance of parties.

15.11.2007 Concert of Neuro Dubel Banned

On 15 November the presentation of 'Stasi', a new album by a well-known Belarusian band Neuro Dubel was to have taken place at 'Fortuna' club in Minsk. As said by the lead singer Aliaksandr Kulinkovich, ‘the club got a phone call from Partyzanski district executive committee of Minsk and then some KGB agents came’.

15.11.2007 Money Disappear from Political Prisoner Andrei Klimau’s Account

The world already knows the torturing of political prisoner Klimau (a deputy of the disbanded Belarusian parliament). But the administration of correction facility #20 of the Department of correction is convinced of their impunity, and continues torturing the sick man.

14.11.2007 Mahiliou: Does Belarusian TV Prepare New Film about Opposition?

On 13 November the shooting crew of the Belarusian TV consisting of a cameraman Vasil Lasenkou and a journalist Alena Bardzikouskaya wanted to take an interview from a student of Mahiliou State University. However, the methods of their work arise some questions.