The Human Rights Center “Viasna”

News for 9 Oct 2009

09.10.2009 Entrepreneur fined equivalent of 56 000 US dollars for absence of hygienic certificate

On 9 October the Supreme Economic Court upheld the verdict of Vitsebsk oblast court by which Orsha entrepreneur Zhana Bokhan was fined 160 000 million Belarusian rubles.

09.10.2009 Supreme Court returns case of Alexander Straltsou for review

On 16 September the presidium of Minsk city court considered the protest of the deputy-head of the Supreme Court against the ruling of Tsentralny verdict of Minsk of 15 June 2009 to Ales Straltsou, figurant of the ‘process of 14’ and ruled the verdict needed to be reversed.

09.10.2009 Complaint about violation of death convict Vasil Yuzepchuk’s rights submitted to UN Human Rights Committee

On 9 October, on the eve of the World Day against the Death Penalty, the UN Human Rights Committee confirmed receiving the individual address of Vasil Yuzepchuk, who on 28 June 2009 was sentenced by Brest oblast court to death with property confiscation.

09.10.2009 Provocations at public hearings on Belarusian nuclear power station in Astravets

The public hearings of the preliminary report on the evaluation of the possible influence of the Belarusian nuclear power station on the environment have started in Astravets. Ecologists, scientists, civil activists and journalists from Belarus and Russia gathered in the town, near which the ground for the station is already being prepared. However, not all of those who wanted to get to the Astravets cinema, where the hearings were held, were let in.

09.10.2009 UCP member Andrei Bandarenka sentenced to seven years of imprisonment

The party leaders believe it is a ‘political sentence’ Despite the absence of sufficient evidence of misappropriation of 20 million rubles.The former independent MP candidate and businessman was sentenced by Pershamaiski district court to 7 years of imprisonment with property confiscation

09.10.2009 People not allowed to political draftee Yauhen Skrabets’ military oath ceremony

On 8 October the Young Front activist Yauhen Skrabets gave the military oath. The ceremony was held in a military unit in Zhodzina.

09.10.2009 KGB refuses to return confiscated things to Alexander Atroshchankau

Two years have passed today since the property of European Belarus activist Alexander Atroshchankau was illegally confiscated. The democratic activist tries to return his property, but all in vain, the website European Belarus reports.