The Human Rights Center “Viasna”

News for January 2008

16.01.2008 Trial over Mahiliou activist Valadar Tsurpanau to continue today

The activist is charged with organizing entrepreneurs’ rally on January 10th.

16.01.2008 Review-Chronicle of Human Rights Violations in Belarus in December 2007

In December a wave of social protests rolled over Belarus. A part of the protest actions were connected with the enforcement of the law on social benefits, rights and guarantees for certain categories of citizens, by which the main benefits to the population were liquidated. Another part was connected with protests against the enforcement of presidential decree #760, prohibiting individual entrepreneurs to hire employees with the exception of close relatives.

15.01.2008 More Than 50% of Individual Entrepreneurs Have Taken Part in 2-week Strike

‘About 50-60% of Belarusian entrepreneurs supported the strike. In Minsk only about 40% worked,’ said the leader of the campaign For Free Development of Business Viktar Harbachou.

15.01.2008 Brest Police Turn down Complaints against Bad Incarceration Conditions

The administration of Leninski district police department of Brest did not acknowledge the facts that were enumerated in the complaint of the activist of For Freedom movement Inha Abramava against the improper conditions of incarceration in the temporary isolation ward.

15.01.2008 Entrepreneur Ales Taustyka Sentenced to 15 Days of Jail

On 15 January the police detained the activist of For Freedom movement, entrepreneur Ales Taustyka near his house. Then he was guarded to Tsentralny district court of Minsk and sentenced to 15 days of jail for active participation in the protest action of entrepreneurs on 10 December.

15.01.2008 Fired Not to Be Paid

The activist of the For Freedom movement, lawyer of the Kamunalnik enterprise Tatsiana Sadouskaya has been fired.

15.01.2008 Polatsk: Court Fines Katsiaryna Salauyova

The Young Front activist from Polatsk Katsiaryna Salauyova was fined 1 050 000 rubles (about 488 US dollars) for having made political graffiti on the walls of Polatsk city executive committee two months ago. The trial was led by the judge Abramava, Salauyova was defended by the lawyer Aliaksandr Haliyeu.

15.01.2008 Oppositional Parties Answer to Justice Ministry

In the press-release of the Ministry of Justice of 12 January 2008 it was stated that during the unauthorized meeting of entrepreneurs the Belarusian legislation on mass actions was grossly violated. The participation of the leaders of the United Civil Party, the BPF Party and the Party of Communists Belarusian was mentioned as well. The Ministry demanded from the parties to answer whether they empowered their leaders to take part in the action and express their public position concerning this in the case they did not.

15.01.2008 Security Council Approves Construction of Nuclear Power Plant

The Security Council of Belarus took a final decision on construction a nuclear power plant in the country.

15.01.2008 Patients of Tuberculosis Hospital Stop Hunger-strike

Patients of the Republican Tuberculosis Hospital in Navayelnia (Dziatlava district, Hrodna oblast) have stopped the hunger strike, but continue seeking other ways to express their protest.

14.01.2008 2 Months after Amnesty: Only 250 Prisoners Released

Almost two months have passed since the Belarusian authorities declared the latest amnesty. According to the MIA calculations, 3 512 persons fell under the action of the amnesty. The basic condition for dismissal from prison was compensation of the financial damage to victims or the state by 24 April. However, according to the chair of the punishment execution department Yury Barynkou only 250 of them have been released so far, mostly those who have compensated the damage.

14.01.2008 Hantsavichy Authorities Interfere with Work of Independent Journalists

The journalist of a non-state newspaper Hantsavitski Chas Iryna Damaratskaya was not admitted to the awarding of the best pupils and teachers of the district that took place on 9 January in Hantsavichy culture palace.

14.01.2008 Vitsebsk: Entrepreneur Shapavalau Detained

On 13 January the deputy chair of the republican NGO Perspective Anatol Shapavalau was guarded to Chyhunachny district police department of Vitsebsk. There the policemen composed on him a report for participation in the unauthorized action of protest which took place in Minsk on 10 December. Then the entrepreneur was let go. So, the authorities persecute regional participants of the protest action (about 30 entrepreneurs came to Minsk from Vitsebsk to take part in the action).

14.01.2008 Aliaksandr Makayeu Declares Hunger-strike

On 12 January 2008 the entrepreneur Aliaksandr Makayeu was sentenced to 15 days of jail for alleged ‘dirty swearing’. He was detained after a meeting with the head of Minsk police Aliaksandr Naidzenka, at which he discussed the conditions of incarceration of entrepreneurs in prison in Akrestsin Street. After a short talk Makayeu was forcedly taken to Maskouski district police department of Minsk (where a report under article 17.1 was drawn) and then – to court. Makayeu managed to tell his wife Khrystsina that he announced a hunger-strike of protest against such lawlessness.

14.01.2008 Salihorsk District Court Abolishes Huge Fines to Youth Activists

On 11 January the judge Lapina ruled to abolish all four rulings of the administrative commissions according to which the youth activist Khrystsina Samoilava was to have paid 2 480 000 rubles fine (about 1 154 USD). The rulings were found unlawful. The administrative case will consider the same materials against the Young Front activist Samoilava again. In her complaints and speech Khrystsina pointed at gross law violations during her detention, drawing of the police reports and consideration of her case by the administrative commission of Salihorsk town executive committee.