The Human Rights Center “Viasna”

News for January 2008

14.01.2008 Economical Persecution of Protesting Entrepreneurs

In the morning of 14 December the administration of the market center Underground city hanged out the lists of the persons who were absent from work on 10 December, during the protest action of entrepreneurs. This can be considered as violation of the regime of work of the market center. As a result those who were absent from their jobs without a ‘good excuse’ can be deprived of their licenses of individual entrepreneurs and thus lose their jobs.

14.01.2008 Criminal Case Brought on 10 December Action

The prosecutor’s office of Minsk has considered materials concerning the fact of organizing and holding of an unsanctioned meeting and process in Kastrychnitskaya Square and the central streets of Minsk on 10 January 2008 and stated that during its holding the public order was grossly violated and group actions associated with insubordination to lawful demands of the authorities and interruption of the city traffic.’

14.01.2008 Baranavichy: Court Upholds Prohibition of Pickets against Repeal of Social Benefits

On 11 January the court of Baranavichy and Baranavichy district turned down the suit of an activist of the united democratic forces, member of the Party of Communists Belarusian, engineer Viktar Tsiapin against the ruling of Baranavichy city executive committee concerning the order of holding mass actions in the region.

14.01.2008 Become Member of Pro-Lukashenka Youth Union to Enter University?

Soon there will be enforced the new rules for entering high schools. The Ministry of Education proposes to introduce a norm obliging the pretenders to education on a number of specialities to present letters of introduction.

14.01.2008 Journalists Seized for Interview with Oppositional Politician

After an interview with the member of the United Civil Party, an economist Pavel Daneika, the police seize the journalists Uladzimir and Halina Samoilaus and a cameraman Valery Buldyk. After the arrest and search policemen confiscated their equipment.

14.01.2008 Hunger-strike at Tuberculosis Hospital

Patients of the Republican Tuberculosis Hospital in the village Navayelnia (Dziatlava district, Hrodna oblast) cry for help. They live in awful conditions. All patients of the hospital have refused to eat today.

14.01.2008 Authorities Demand Explanations from Political Parties

The Justice Ministry of Belarus has demanded explanations from the United Civil Party, the Party of Communists Belarusian and Belarusian People’s Front concerning the participation of their leaders in the unsanctioned protest rally of small businessman on 10 January. Such explanations must be given to the ministry by 14 January.

14.01.2008 Authorities Liquidate Entrepreneurs’ Association ‘Perspective’

The Ministry of Justice has sued to the Supreme Court for liquidation of the republican NGO Perspective. In the report placed at the web site of the ministry on 12 January it is stated that ‘a meeting of entrepreneurs was held on 10 January in Minsk. Among others, the leader of the republican public association Perspective Anatol Shumchanka has taken an active part in the meeting’.

14.01.2008 Entrepreneur Siarhei Parsiukevich Sentenced to 15 Days of Jail

Siarhei Parsiukevich was arrested for 15 days for participation on the unauthorized rally of entrepreneurs on 10 January. The activist of the entrepreneurs’ movement Siarhei Parsiukevich from Vitsebsk has had a trial in the court of Tsentralny district of Minsk today, RFE/RL reports.

14.01.2008 Homel: KGB Searches Journalist Padsasonny’s Apartment

Officers of the local KGB department searched an apartment of member of the Belarusian Association of Belarus Siarhei Padsasonny in Homel on 12 January.

14.01.2008 Detained Demonstrators Tortured by Cold and Hunger

On 12 January human rights and youth organizations managed to bring food parcels to most of the convicted participants of the protest rally which was held on 10 January in Minsk. At 10 a.m. relatives and friends of arrested formed a queue near the entrance of the prison.

14.01.2008 Entrepreneur Aliaksandr Makayeu Arrested after Meeting with Police Official

On 12 January Aliaksandr Makayeu, leader of entrepreneurs’ movement, was detained in the center of Minsk just after he left the building of the Minsk city executive committee, where he had a meeting with Aliaksandr Naidzenka, deputy head of Minsk city police department. At the meeting they discussed the conditions in which those who had been detained on 10 January were kept on Akrestin Street.

14.01.2008 Brest: Solidarity of Entrepreneurs

Entrepreneurs from Brest expressed their solidarity with the demands made at the protest demonstration in Minsk and decided on continuing the strike until all people, sentenced to arrest on 10 January, are released.

14.01.2008 Details of Beatings after Entrepreneurs’ Actions

All arrested participants of the protest rally against the economic policy of the government towards small business in Belarus held on January 10 in Minsk have been taken to Akrestsin Street prison.

14.01.2008 Political Prisoner Finkevich Put to Ward with Convicts

Friends of Artur Finkevich have learnt from his letters that the political prisoner has been transferred to another ward, a ward for convicts. The young activist, who has served a term of corrective labor, was sentenced again to 1,5 years of imprisonment in December.