The Human Rights Center “Viasna”

News for September 2010

14.09.2010 Presidential election scheduled for 19 December

Today the Chamber of Representatives has set the date of the presidential election in the country. The presidential election will take place on 19 December. All present 108 deputies unanimously voted for this date.

14.09.2010 Interrogation of Andrei Pachobut

On 13 September the Hrodna journalist Andrei Pachobut was summoned to the Office for Combating Organized Crime and Corruption of the Hrodna region.

14.09.2010 Threats to Natallia Radzina continue

Anonymous threats to the journalist of charter97.org appear daily from the day of Aleh Biabenin’s death.

13.09.2010 Riot police accused of beating teachers

The Vitsebsk procuracy is looking for witnesses of the incident that happened during the closure of the Slavonic Bazaar festival last year. Three teachers allege having been groundlessly beaten by officers of the Minsk riot police who ‘secured the public order’ in Vitsebsk during the festival.

13.09.2010 Ecologists urge Belarusian authorities to release Uladzimir Valodzin

Ecologists urge Belarusian authorities to release Uladzimir ValodzinThe ecological organizations of Belarus, Lithuania and Russia adopted a joint address to the Belarusian authorities demanding an immediate release of Uladzimir Valodzin who was imprisoned on 8 September on suspicion in the assault on the Embassy of the Russian Federation in Minsk.

13.09.2010 Vitsebsk: Taras Surhan fined 210,000 rubles for being late

Judge Uladzislau Shykarou fined Taras Surhan 210,000 rubles for violation of the regime of preventive supervision which manifested in coming home 17 minutes later after the specified time.

13.09.2010 Homel: administrative case for raising white-red-white flag

The Tsentralny District Court of Homel considered the administrative case of the representative of Young Belarus Ivan Zaitsau who was detained by police during the official celebration of the Day of Minsk for raising a white-red-white flag there. .

13.09.2010 Activists of ‘Speak Truth’ complain to FIFA, UEFA and CHL

As stated to the BelaPAN by Yury Aleinik, activists of the civil campaign Speak Truth filed complaints to FIFA, UEFA and CHL against violation of their rights as fans by the police.

13.09.2010 Only about 20 people managed to get to ’Battle of Orsha’ feast

The traditional festival dedicated to the important historical date - the victory of Orsha in 1514 troops of the Grand Duchy of Moscow, was scheduled for 12 September this year. 8 September, the day of the battle, is celebrated as the Day of the Belarusian military glory by the opposition.

13.09.2010 Five people detained for attack on Russian Embassy get released from jail

Five of the persons who had been detained on 3 September in connection with the case of the attack on the Embassy of the Russian Federation in Minsk were released from the prison in Akrestin Street on Sunday, 12 September, Radio Racyja reports.

13.09.2010 Playwright Mikalai Khalezin receives anonymous threats

The head of the Free Theater was threatened after the publication of his article about Aleh Biabenin’s death.

13.09.2010 Andrei Sannikau detained in airport

The leader of the civil campaign European Belarus Andrei Sannikau was detained on the way from a high-level international conference in Riga. His passport was seized.

10.09.2010 Valiantsin Stefanovich: nobody conducts investigation in such a way

Aliaksandr Frantskevich’s counsel cannot find his client for three days. On 3 September several anarchists were detained within the framework of the criminal case that had been instigated under Article 339, part 2 for an assault on the Russian Embassy. In three days they were released and immediately detained again, in connection with the criminal case under Article 339, part 1 – connected with an assault on the building of the Federation of Trade Unions. They were to have been taken to the Leninski District Police Department, but this information wasn’t confirmed. The actual whereabouts of the detained people remains unknown.

10.09.2010 Minsk authorities ban informational pickets

Mr. Tsitsiankou, Deputy Chairperson of the Minsk City Executive Committee, thinks that such actions will hinder the movement of pedestrians.

10.09.2010 Hrodna: detention of Dzmitry Bandarchuk

The activist of the civil campaign Speak Truth Dzmitry Bandarchuk was arrested yesterday in Hrodna and is still kept at the police station of the Dzeviatouka suburb. The detention followed the attempt of the police to examine his car. The activist didn’t allow them to do it without showing him the warrant.