The Human Rights Center “Viasna”

News for 15 Feb 2010

15.02.2010 Pickets in populous places are banned throughout Belarus

One of the novelties in the election legislation this year is that the state officials have to officially determine the places where picketing for collection of signatures in support of pretenders to candidates should be banned.

15.02.2010 Absurd trial of Tereza Sobal, Chairperson of Ivianets organization of Union of Poles

A preliminary sitting on the lawsuit of the pro-regime Union of Poles of Belarus headed by Stanislau Siamasha against Teresa Sobal, Chairperson of the Ivianets branch of the Union of Poles that is not recognized by the Belarusian authorities. Teresa also headed the Polish House in Ivianets before it was sealed by court marshals. The defendant entered motions for summoning witnesses and composing an additional inventory of property in the Polish House.

15.02.2010 Barys Khamaida is accused of ‘disorderly conduct’

Officers of the Chynunachy district police department in Vitsebsk gave such charges to Barys Khamaida for ‘hanging out a white-red-white flag’.

15.02.2010 Constituencies formed without law violations only in one district of Vitsebsk oblast

In Vitsebsk oblast, the forming by the district territorial election commissions of the constituencies for the elections to the district Soviets of Deputies of the 26th Convocations came to an end. The district newspapers published the lists of election constituencies including their numbers, names, boundaries, number of electors and location of election commissions. The number of constituencies ranges from 25 to 40, which corresponds to the legal requirements.

15.02.2010 ’Vitebskiy Kurier’ still has problems with distribution

On 4 February in Vitsebsk, the police detained the newspaper distributeor Maryia Stsepaniuk and guarded her to the Chyhunachny district police department (DPD). Police Major Aleh Alt charged her with violating Article 22.9, part 2 of the Administrative Code, ‘distribution of periodical without registration in the Republic of Belarus’. Siarhei Blazhevich, DPD head, passed the case materials to court. All copies of the newspaper were confiscated from the detainee.

15.02.2010 Detentions and trials of members of disgraced Union of Poles

In Hrodna, the police detained Ihar Banatsar, press secretary of the Union of Poles in Belarus. Mechyslau Yaskevich and Andrei Pachobut, UPB members, were detained on the way to Minsk.

15.02.2010 Anatol Liabezka detained

At 10.30 a.m. on 15 February in Valozhyn, on the eve of the trial of the member of the Union of Poles in Belarus Tereza Sobal, the police detained Anatol Liabedzka, leader of the United Civil Party, and guarded him to the Valozhyn district police department. At 5.30 p.m. he was still kept there.

15.02.2010 Minsk: St. Valentine Day action dispersed by riot police. Tatsiana Shaputska has cranial trauma

About 30 young democratic activists were detained by police as a result of the violent dispersal of the St. Valentine Day action in the center of Minsk. Riot policemen grabbed them by hands and feet and threw into paddy wagons. Two hours after the detention the police released the detainees without giving any charges.

15.02.2010 Babruisk: democratic activists learn about their non-inclusion in commissions from newspaper

In Babruisk, seven members of the organizing committee of the Belarusian Christian Democracy Party were nominated to election commissions through collection of signatures. None of them were included in the commissions.

15.02.2010 Mahiliou: inaccuracies in determination of boundaries of election constituencies

Many inaccuracies were found in the description of the election constituencies published in the Mahiliouskiya Vedamastsi newspaper.

15.02.2010 Barysau: electors are kept in the dark

In Barysau district, electors still haven’t been informed about the decision of the Barysau district executive committee (DEC) on determining the places prohibited for collecting signatures in support of candidates to the local Soviets of Deputies. On 12 February the officials managed to show Mikhail Vasiliieu, leader of the Barysau organization of the United Civil Paty, only a copy of the appropriate document without the signature of Uladzimir Miranovich, Chairpers of the Barysau DEC.

15.02.2010 Mazyr: election commissions don’t work on first day of registration of initiative groups

In Mazyr, election commissions didn’t work on 14 February, the first day of registration of the initiative groups of candidates to the local Soviets of Deputies according to the time schedule of the Central Election Commission. The requirements of the Election Code were ignored by the officials responsible for the operating schedule of the Mazyr district election commission.