The Human Rights Center “Viasna”

News for June 2008

09.06.2008 Homel: police looking for escaped criminal at meeting of human rights activists

On 8 June Homel police thwarted a meeting of human rights watchdogs with activists of youth pro-democracy movement under a pretext of a fugitive criminal search.

06.06.2008 Court fines teacher for protesting against construction of chemical plant

5 June Pukhavichy district court tried the administrative cases against the Tatsiana Dylkova and Nasta Papova, former teachers from the settlement of Druzhny who had taken part in the unauthorized meeting of the local citizens in protest against the construction of a chemical plant in the location by the Russian company Avgust-Bel.

06.06.2008 Franak Viachorka is guarded to military enlistment office

Franak Viachorka has informed RFE/RL that he had been detained by the police when he had gone out of his porch. They handed to him a writ to the military enlistment office and videotaped it.

06.06.2008 Orsha: police confiscate leaflets about straight-line with mass media and human rights activists

Near the town bus station of Orsha the police stopped the activist Mikalai Petrushenka, resident of the village of Kokhanava. They accused Petrushenka of illegal distribution of printed editions and confiscated from him 264 leaflets. By these leaflets the activist intended to inform citizens about the air-line with the editor of the Tovarishch newspaper Siarhei Vazniak and the local human rights activists, members of the Belarusian Helsinki Committee, so that the people could call up and tell about their problems.

06.06.2008 Authorities trying to placate protesting patients of tuberculosis hospital

The conflict in Bahusheuski oblast tuberculosis hospital in Vitsebsk region, is acquiring a greater publicity. The authorities are trying to calm the protests down by attempts to placate the most active protesters.

06.06.2008 Travel restrictions concern about 260 000 citizens

The database of the restricted to travel abroad persons of the border service contains about 260 000 people.

06.06.2008 ‘Narodnaya Volia’ sues against president’s security service

The staff of the Narodnaya Volia newspaper and the deputy editor Maryna Koktysh has gone to court of the Maskouski district of Minsk against the House of Representatives and the President’s Security Service.

05.06.2008 ‘Greens’ protest against cutting trees in Belarus’ settlements

Today, on the universal day of the environment, they have addressed the prime-minister Siarhei Sidorski with an open letter. The greens draw the minister’s attention to the facts of cut-downs of trees in the capital and other cities of Belarus and demand the protection of green plantations during construction and other works which influence the environment.

05.06.2008 Public demands rehabilitation at school for Ivan Shyla

Well-known public and cultural activists and politicians of Belarus have signed the open address to the minister of education Uladzimir Radzkou, the chair of the education department of Salihorsk district executive committee A.Rymasheuski and the deputy schoolmasters of secondary school #4 of Salihorsk V.Kashtalian and I.Yankouskaya.

05.06.2008 Zmitser Shymanski sues 1st TV channel

Zmitser Shymanski, the chairman of Brest branch of the Belarusian Popular Front Party, has sued to Pershamaiski district court of Minsk for protection of his honor and dignity.

05.06.2008 Activist of the BPF Party is fired from ‘Beltransgas’

Alexander Mekh, the chairman of Kobryn organization of the Belarusian Popular Front Party, was warned that he would be fired from work. The activist associates it with his intention to run at the upcoming parliamentary election.

05.06.2008 Hrodna: Human rights activist fined for waving white-red-white flag

5 June Leninski district court of Hrodna found the human rights activist Viktar Sazonau and the chairman of Hrodna oblast branch of the United Civil Party Yury Istomin guilty under Article 23.34 of the Administrative Code (violation of the rules for organizing and holding mass events) and sentenced them to large fines.

05.06.2008 White-red-white flags over Nezalezhnastsi Avenue

Today morning at 7.30 a.m. 6 white-red-white flags were fluttering on the bridge over the Svislach River not far from Peramohi Square in Minsk.

05.06.2008 Viachaslau Siwchyk sentenced to 10 days of jail

On 4 June Judge of Minsk region Vyachaslau Tuleika sentenced the chairman of the Memorial branch of the Belarusian Voluntary Society of History and Culture Monuments Protection Viachaslau Siwchyk to 10 days of administrative arrest.

05.06.2008 Authorities disrupt final exams for young oppositionists

The head of the educational department of Frunzenski district executive committee of Minsk prohibited an activist of the Young Front Alena Makarevich to pass her exam in the Belarusian language. ‘I think it has been done in order to prevent me from entering a university’, Alena Makarevich said to RFE/RL.