The Human Rights Center “Viasna”

News for 27 May 2008

27.05.2008 Last sentences in the ‘case of 14’

Chronicle of the trial

27.05.2008 KGB persecutes Belarusian human rights activists

On Friday, 23 May 2008 three KGB officers suddenly burst into the apartment of Leanid Svetsik, human rights activist from Vitsebsk. They showed to him the ruling of the prosecutor’s office for initiation of criminal proceedings under Article 130.1 of the Criminal Case of the Republic of Belarus (fomentation of national and religious enmity). According to this ruling, Mr. Svetsik is considered a witness in the case of threats to certain citizens from the side of the underground neo-Nazi organization Russian National Unity (RNE).

27.05.2008 Edvard Balanchuk gets searched on the border again

On Monday, 26 May, the human rights activist from Maladechna Edvard Balanchuk was detained for the second time this month, now – at the border crossing point Kamenny Loh.

27.05.2008 Baranavichy: police beat 'Young Front' activists

Four national flags appeared opposite the city hall and the Baranavichy city executive committee in the morning of 23 May. After a while Yaraslau Hryshchenia, the leader of Baranavichy branch of Young Front, and his friends Artsiom Lastavetski and Piatro Ruzau were detained in the street. After the policemen searched Yaraslau and found two flags in his bag, they struck him down to the ground and started beating.

27.05.2008 Political prisoner Andrei Kim is kept in quarantine of Babruisk penal colony

Andrei’s mother, Tatsiana Kim, learnt it from the special department of the colony. ‘I phoned there and they said there was such a person there, they told he wasn’t convicted, but had filed a cassation appeal,’ Tatsiana Kim told to RFE/RL.

27.05.2008 Searches and arrests in Vitsebsk

Paval Liavinau, member of the Belarusian Helsinki Committee (BHC), got 10 days of administrative arrests and a fine of 700 000 rubles (about 328 US dollars).

27.05.2008 Zmitser Khvedaruk gets 10 days of jail for celebrating Day of Europe

12 May Zmitser Khvedaruk, one of the leaders of the Young Front, was sentenced in absentia to 10 days of arrest for participation in the action on 1 May, the Day of Europe. Besides, he must pay a fine of 1 050 000 rubles (about 493 US dollars) for allegedly resistance to the police during the detention. He was informed about the verdict only on 23 May.