The Human Rights Center “Viasna”

News for July 2010

30.07.2010 Ales Ramanovich's case: to be continued

The trial of the administrative case of a member of the Belarusian Popular Front and the For Freedom movement Ales Ramanovich was postponed to 10 a.m. on 10 August. Yesterday, the Pinsk Town and District Court started reviewing the case after the earlier verdict had been reversed by the Brest Region Court.

30.07.2010 Minsk Economic Court granted claim of Minsk authorities to 'Movement Forward’

On 29 July the Minsk Economic Court granted the claim of the Minsk City Executive Committee concerning the research and educational institution Movement Forward, the organizer of the Speak Truth campaign.

30.07.2010 'Young Front's activist directed to army despite surgical operation

On 30 July Stanislau Ramanovich, Chairperson of the Mahiliou branch of the Young Front, was sent to serve in the special task force unit near Minsk. The young man was recently operated, but the military enlistment office refused a deferment to him.

29.07.2010 Amnesty International welcomes release of Yauhen Yakavenka and demands guarantees for him

Amnesty International has welcomed the release of a conscientious objector in Belarus who had been sentenced to one year in prison for “evading military service”.

28.07.2010 Salihorsk: ‘Young Front’ activists to be tried for 27 July action as well

On 27 July members of the Salihorsk Young Front organization intended to hold a traditional contest of asphalt drawings dated to the anniversary of the Declaration of Independence. However, one of them, Ivan Shyla was detained at his first attempt to take chalk in his hand.

28.07.2010 Minsk: trials over yesterday’s detainees postponed to 5 August

Yesterday, on 27 July, the Minsk police detained Katsiaryna Davydzik, Mikalai Dzemidzenka, Andrei Kim and Viachaslau Siwchyk for participation in the street action in the Yakub Kolas Square dedicated to the 20th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence of Belarus.

28.07.2010 Private socio-political weekly ‘Nasha Niva’ got two warnings at once

In one week the newspaper has received two warnings from the Information Ministry for publications indirectly related to Godfather, a documentary about Aliaksandr Lukashenka broadcast on the Russian TV channel NTV.

28.07.2010 Lithuanian position concerning Belarusian nuclear power plant remains negative

The position of Lithuania on construction of the Belarusian nuclear power plant has not changed. BelaPAN was informed about that by the head of the Nuclear Energy Commission of Seimas of the Republic of Lithuania Rokas Žilinskas.

27.07.2010 Procuracy sees no reasons to bring a criminal case concerning beating of Zmitser Parmon

Zmitser Parmon, an activist of the BPF Youth, has received from the Tsentralny District Procuracy of Minsk an answer to his request to bring a criminal case against the policemen who had beaten him during the detention on 27 May.

27.07.2010 Vaukavysk: detention of Mikalai Kavalchuk

Mikalai Kavalchuk, an organizer of the festivities dated to the 100th anniversary of the birthday of a Belarusian poet Larysa Heniyush, has been detained by the police and is kept at the police station.

27.07.2010 Minsk: detentions and beating at action dated to 20th anniversary of Sovereignty Declaration

The action was held in Yakub Kolas Square in central Minsk and was attended by about 20 activists.

27.07.2010 More detentions in Homel

On 26 July the Homel police detained Vasil Paliakou, Chairperson of the Homel regional organization of the United Civil Party, Yury Hlushakou, first Deputy Chairperson of the Green Party, a civil activist Larysa Shchyrakova, a member of the Belarusian Popular Front Valery Repnin and a representative of the Human Rights Center Viasna, Anatol Paplauny.

27.07.2010 Homel: UCP member detained for T-shirt

A pro-democratic activist Uladzimir Niapomnyashchykh was detained in Homel for wearing a T-shirt with the inscription ‘For Belarus without Lukashenka’.

27.07.2010 Vitsebsk: Aleh Surhan released from jail

On 27 July 27 morning Aleh Surhan, a political prisoner, was released from the colony in the town of Hlybokaye.

26.07.2010 Mahiliou: action for free development of internet stopped by police

A rally under the slogan ‘For Free Development of Internet’ was to have taken place on 24 July in Mahiliou. About 30 youngsters came to the Culture House in Chaliuskintsy Street 64a to protest against presidential decree #60 imposing restrictions on the internet since 1 July.