The Human Rights Center “Viasna”

News for October 2008

16.10.2008 Belarus-German round table discussion in Berlin

According to Radio Racyja, today, October 16th, the Berlin-based Bundestag is going to host a Belarus-Germany human rights round table discussion. The meeting is entitled ‘Belarus after the election: time for political dialogue?’ and will be visited by a number of German parliament members.

16.10.2008 Germany considers Belarusian human rights activists undesirable aliens?

In an interview for Radio Polonia, human rights expert Uladzmir Labkovich and analyst Yury Chausau commented upon German ambassador’s unwillingness to grant Schengen viasa to a number of Belarusian human rights activists.

16.10.2008 Pastor goes to jail

According to Radio Liberty, Pastor Veniamin Brukh was put to Minsk deportee detention center by Belarusian customs officers. The reason for detention remains unknown.

15.10.2008 Mahiliou: ex-candidate proves the election was rigged

A former candidate Aliaksei Paulouski has collected 234 signatures of electors by which they conform that they had voted for him at the election, whereas according to the official results there were only 174 votes in his support.

15.10.2008 Human rights activists under surveillance

On 13 October in the afternoon officers of Stoubtsy district police department stopped the car driven by the deputy head of Belarusian Helsinki Committee Tatsiana Hatsura. ‘We need to check what you carry in the car,’ said a policeman. Tatsiana had some bags with fiction literature with her.

15.10.2008 Authorities accuse United Civil Party of being non-democratic

The Ministry of Justice has sent a letter to the National committee of the Unite Civil Party concerning the behavior of the UCP chairman Anatol Liabedzka.

15.10.2008 Franak Viachorka is declared fit for army service

The leader of the BPF Youth Franak Viachorka is declared fit for army service. He believes that this is a politically motivated step.

15.10.2008 Krow: ‘Black lists have just changed their color’

Rapper Krow from Chyrvonym pa Bielamu band states that black lists have not disappeared, they… have just changed their color. ‘There are no blacklists any more, there are brown ones instead. Only some chosen persons, who have ‘repented’ have been crossed out from the lists that existed earlier,’ concluded the singer after sending his recordings to one of Belarusian radio stations.

15.10.2008 New restrictions concerning recuperation of Belarusian children abroad

Belarusian organizations would be able to send children only to those foreign states with which Belarus has international agreements foreseeing state guarantees of safe stay of Belarusian children during their recuperation trips in a certain country and their timely return back home, Alexander Lukashenka’s decree reads.

14.10.2008 Winners of school Olympiads in chemistry are summonsed to KGB

In Minsk the winners of the school Olympiads in chemistry are summonsed to the KGB office. They are questioned in connection with the blast that had taken place on 4 July in the morning, at the celebration of the official Independence Day. Fingerprints and saliva samples are also taken from them.

14.10.2008 Hrodna: house sold together with dwellers

This spring the authorities of Hrodna sold at an auction the house in Kaliuchynskaya Street, 23. Soon it will be ruined, but its dwellers still don’t have even a slightest idea when and where they will be relocated.

14.10.2008 German Embassy denies Schengen visas to human rights activists

On 14 October the Embassy of Germany suddenly and without any explanations refused to issue Schengen visas to well-known Belarusian human rights activists and journalists Uladzimir Labkovich, Alena Laptsionak and Siarhei Sys.

14.10.2008 Brest citizens are not allowed to demand return of social guarantees

The local authorities are doing everything possible to smother the civil initiative for returning of the liquidated social guarantees.

14.10.2008 No registration for independent trade union

On 13 October Rechytsa district court rejected the suit of the independent Belarusian trade union of radio-electronic industry (BTUREI) against the refusal of Rechytsa district executive committee to give state registration to a district primary unit of the trade union.

14.10.2008 Central election commission refuses to consider complaints against falsifications

On 13 October the Central election commission refused to grant the complaints filed by some ex- candidates for deputies. Five people demanded that the results of this year’s parliamentary elections were declared invalid and four more demanded that the votes were recounted at certain precincts.