The Human Rights Center “Viasna”

News for 19 Feb 2008

19.02.2008 Barysau: Private Apartments of Siarhei Salash and His Mother Are Under Arrest

A week ago it became known that the apartment of Siarhei Salash, public activist from Barysau, has been under arrest since November 2006, as well as the apartment that was inherited by his mother after the recent death of husband, Siarhei’s father. This fact was revealed after soon after the death. Barysau branch of Minsk oblast agency on state registration and land cadastre issued excerpt #371:83/08 from the register on the rights and limitations of rights on isolated premises. This excerpt contains the ban on ‘alienation of the premises’ for both apartments, for the term that ‘has not been determined’. The reason for the ban is ‘another document (police department of Maskouski district executive committee of Minsk) of 4 November 2006 #MG/9 OPR)’.

19.02.2008 State Organs Decrease the Secured Zones of Kurapaty Mass Grave

Anton Astapovich, chairman of the council of the Belarusian voluntary society for protection of the monuments of history and culture, said to BelaPAN: ‘At the end of November 2007 I applied to the Ministry of Culture for permission to familiarize with the scheme of the secured zones of the Kurapaty forest and receiving a copy of this document, because on 20 May 2003 the Belarusian republican scientific center on the issues of historical and cultural heritage had adopted a scheme of the secured zones of the mass grave, which has not been presented to public.

19.02.2008 Zhaleznichenka’s Mother Appeals against His Expulsion from University

On 5 March the court hearings on the suit of Zmitser Zhaleznichenka’s mother against Homel State University will start. On 18 February the judge of the Tsentralny district court of Homel Zhanna Andreichyk listened to the positions of the sides and decided to start the trial after Zmitser receives an answer from the Ministry of Education, to which he had complained against the illegal expulsion.

19.02.2008 Authorities Want to Try Pastor Hancharenka

The pastor of the New Life Church Viachaslau Hancharenka has received a summons from Maskouski district prosecutor’s office of Minsk. On 19 February at 4 p.m. he will meet with the deputy prosecutor Zmitser Zyrianau, who wants to draw up a violation report, because the believers did not let in representatives of the fire service despite the prosecutor’s warrant.

19.02.2008 Entrepreneur Viktar Kryval Sentenced to 15 Days of Jail

Viktar Kryval, activist of the campaign For Free Development of Business, was accused of handing-out anti-state leaflets. Uzda court found him guilty and sentenced to 15 days of jail. Judge V.Verdyzh took the opinion that the leaflets which he had distributed continued calls to hold an unauthorized meeting.

19.02.2008 Court Leaves Andrei Kim in Custody

On 19 February Minsk city court heard the appeal of Andrei Kim’s mother against his detention in the pre-trial prison in Valadarski Street in Minsk. She asked the court to change the restraint to her son. The court sitting was closed, only Andrei’s lawyer was admitted to it.

19.02.2008 Baranavichy: Entrepreneur Charnavus Fined

On 11 February Mikalai Charnavus participated in the unauthorized meeting of entrepreneurs in Baranavichy. On 18 February the first court sitting against the entrepreneur took place. However, the trial ended only on 19 February, as the day before there weren’t enough witnesses from the police and the ideology department of Baranavichy executive committee. By the way, it was the ideology department, to whom the entrepreneur had applied two weeks ago with the request to authorize the action. The action was banned, but the entrepreneurs held their action.

19.02.2008 Aliaksandr Kruty Can Be Released from Zhodzina Pre-trial Prison Today

The college board on criminal cases of Minsk oblast court has reversed the ruling of Niasvizh district court in the case of Aliaksandr Kruty, who was accused of defamation of the president.

19.02.2008 Presentation of ‘Shrek-3’ Cartoon and Meeting with Uladzimir Arlou Banned in Salihorsk

In the beginning of February Salihorsk organization of Young Front applied to the district culture department with the proposal to show the ‘Shrek-3’ cartoon in Belarusian language and combine it with a meeting with a well-known Belarusian writer and historian Uladzimir Arlou.

19.02.2008 Hrodna: KGB Pressurizes Eduard Dmukhouski

On 18 February an agent of Hrodna oblast KGB office has phoned to an activist of For Freedom! movement Eduard Dmukhouski and invited him for a meeting. When the activist refused from the proposal, the KGB activist started threatening him with administrative punishment and other problems.

19.02.2008 FIDH and Viasna: Open Letter to Belarusian Authorities on Harassment against Zhaleznichenka

Minsk-Paris, 15 February 2008 – The International Federation for Human Rights (FIDH) and the Human Rights Center “Viasna” express their deep concern about the Belarusian authorities’ repeated harassment against the youth activist Dmitry Zheleznichenko.