The Human Rights Center “Viasna”

News for 18 Feb 2010

18.02.2010 Krupki: memberss of initiative groups are pressurized at work

On 18 February Siarhei Kletny, worker of the housing and public utilities of Krupki, was summoned to the director’s office. Besides the boss, Mr. Kletny was met by Mikalai Bury and Uladzmir Zahorski, Deputy Chairpersons of the Krupki district executive committee.

18.02.2010 Supreme Court didn’t grant appeal against non-registration of ‘Brestskaya Viasna’

On 18 February the cassation appeal of the founders of the human rights NGO Brestskaya Viasna concerning the verdict of the Brest oblast court of 29 December by which the decision of the justice department of the Brest oblast executive committee on non-registration of the organization was left in force.

18.02.2010 Hrodna: courts don’t grant claims of members of political parties

The Hrodna oblast court dismissed the cassation complaint of the Hrodna oblast organization of the Belarusian Social Democratic Party. The reason is that the verdict against which the members of the party appeal runs that it is ‘final and is not subject of appeal’. The BSDP members consider it as denial in access to justice and are going to appeal against this verdict as well.

18.02.2010 Kirau district: pressurization of activists willing to take part in election campaign

Natallia Haryst manager of the village hall in the village of Siarheyichy, expressed the intention to take part in the election. However, when her bosses found about it, officers of the local culture department came to the village club with a check-up. They asked her what for she needed the elections and whether she knew that she would have to travel much and spend a lot of time. At the departure they promised that from now on there would be more check-ups at work. After this the woman began to doubt whether she should take part in the elections, because she is afraid to lose her job.

18.02.2010 Vitsebsk: Barys Khamaida detained again

On 18 February in Vitsebsk, Barys Khamaida, activist of the Conservative-Christian Party Belarusian Popular Front, was detained for two hours for distribution of the party magazine Belaruskiya Vedamastsi. The official reason for the detention was that the policemen needed to check-up the literary editions and periodicals that were distributed by Mr. Khamaida.

18.02.2010 Baranvichy: human rights defender appeals against decision of executive committee

On 17 February, human rights defender Siarhei Housha, observer of the Belarusian Language Society in the Baranavichy city election commission, lodged a complaint with he Baranavichy prosecutor I.Palyka concerning the determination of the places for agitation by the Baranavichy city executive committee (CEC).

18.02.2010 Salihorsk: one-man race can take place in many constituencies

The Salihorsk district election commission has received 36 applications for registration of initiative groups of pretenders to candidates. Four of them were filed by independent pretenders – Valer Shcherbich, Aliaksei Valabuyeu and the Yaumenenka brothers, Aliaksandr and Viktar.

18.02.2010 Supreme Court didn’t grant claim of Belarusian Christian Democracy

On 18 February, Vital Rymasheuski and Pavel Seviarynets, co-Chairpersons of the Belarusian Christian Democracy Party, and Dzianis Sadouski, BCD Senior Secretary, weren’t admitted to the sitting of the Supreme Court at which the verdict on the case BCD v. Justice Ministry was announced.

18.02.2010 Mahiliou: boundaries of election constituencies haven’t been set so far

Andrei Dzvihun, pretender to candidate for the local Soviet of Deputies, chairperson of the Leninski district organization of the Belarusian Social Democratic Party Hramada, lodged a complaint with the Mahiliou oblast election commission.

18.02.2010 Websites of executive commissions present too little information about elections

In the Homel oblast ,the authorities introduced to their websites columns dedicated to the elections to the local Soviets of Deputies. However, it is too early to say that one can receive complete official information at the websites of all district executive committees in the Homel oblast.

18.02.2010 Vitsebsk: practical implementation of ideas voiced by Secretary of Central Election Commission

On 16 February, a seminar-counsel for Chairpersons and Secretaries of territorial and constituency election commissions and Chairperson of ideological and personnel departments of the district and city executive commissions of the Vitsebsk oblast was held in Vitsebsk.

18.02.2010 Pressurization of opposition activists detained on 14 February

The Young Front activists who have taken part in an action on Freedom square on St. Valentine’s Day on 14 February are pressurized at and in education establishments.