The Human Rights Center “Viasna”

News for 28 Sep 2010

28.09.2010 UCP Barysau office to appeal decision by local authorities

The United Civil Party’s Barysau office has lodged a complaint with Barysau district court against a decision by local executive authorities to deny UCP member Rehina Viltouskaya membership on the town election commission.

28.09.2010 Zhodzina activist detained

On 27 September, Zhodzina police detained local youth activist Andrei Zubr. He was taken to the nearest police station and released three hours later. The police seized 216 copies of the ‘Tut i tsiaper’ newspaper.

28.09.2010 Maladechna authorities hold secret meeting to form election commissions

Maladechna human rights activists Eduard Balanchuk and Ales Kaputski were not invited to attend the meeting for the formation of local election commissions, despite an official application by the Belarusian Helsinki Committee.

28.09.2010 Information on pre-election meeting arrives too late for Biaroza activists

On 28 September, 2 p.m. Biaroza pro-democratic activists Tamara Shchapiotkina and Siarzhuk Rusetski received a letter from local executive authorities, saying that the time and place of meeting for the formation of election commissions could be found at the town’s official web-site. However, the meeting had been held a few hours before, at 8.30 a.m.

28.09.2010 Observers’ presence at meetings illegal, say Babruisk officials

Belarusian Helsinki Committee Babruisk observers were not allowed to attend the meetings of local authorities, where election commissions were formed, despite official applications submitted to the town executive committee.

28.09.2010 BHC representative denied membership on Vitsebsk district election commission

Vitsebsk district executive committee and Vitsebsk district council of deputies dismissed the nomination application by local human rights activist Leanid Svetsik, representing the Belarusian Helsinki Committee. The officials provided no explanations for the refusal to elect the human rights defender on Vitsebsk district election commission.

28.09.2010 3 opposition activists on Minsk city election commission

On 28 September, a joint meeting of the Presidium of Minsk city council of deputies and Minsk city executive committee formed Minsk city and Minsk district urban election commissions. As a result, 3 out of 13 nominees by opposition representatives were elected members of Minsk city election commission.

28.09.2010 Mahiliou region: 22 pro-dem activists on election commissions

Twenty two pro-democratic representatives have been elected members of election commissions of Mahiliou region, with 3 activists on Mahiliou regional commission and 19 persons on district ones, says Yury Novikau, chair of the Coordination Council of Mahiliou Regional Coalition of Pro-Democratic Forces.

28.09.2010 TIME TO CHANGE: STING SUPPORTS DEATH PENALTY ABOLITION CAMPAIGN IN BELARUS (video)

Sting, internationally-acclaimed musician and activist, has lent his support to the efforts of human rights defenders to abolish the use of the death penalty in Belarus. Sting recently performed in Minsk as part of his Symphonicity World Tour [www.sting.com] and met with human rights defenders to sign the petition for the latest round of the death penalty abolition campaign launched by the Belarus Helsinki Committee, Viasna and Amnesty International. "It's time to change," said Sting in a recorded message of support