The Human Rights Center “Viasna”

News for December 2010

27.12.2010 KGB do not confirm to Volha Nyaklyaeva whether her husband is in their custody

Volha Nyaklyaeva has visited the KGB today after the General Public Prosecutor's Office in order to file a complaint. Let us remind you, she demands to provide her husband Uladzimir Nyaklyaeu's lawyer access to him and also to inform whether the politician and the poet is alive.

27.12.2010 Valiantsin Stefanovich: “It is essential to expose the means used by investigators”

According to information received by the Human Rights Center “Viasna”, numerous persons have been subjected to harassment in the “mass riots” criminal case. Unidentified representatives of secret services reportedly beat a teenager, putting a bag on his head, forcing him to admit he had been incited to take part in the mass riots by opposition leaders.

27.12.2010 Two members of Minsk city election commission renounce voting results

Members of Minsk city election commission Halina Siamdzianava and Aliaksei Sihayeu refused to sign the commission’s final minutes, providing their dissenting opinions on the election results.

27.12.2010 Harassment of activists still underway

Veranika Lazouskaya, activist of the European Belarus movement, has been summoned to the KGB. Similar summons were received by UCP member Aliaksandr Stsepanenka and activist of “Tell the Truth” campaign Volha Burnevich.

27.12.2010 Youth activists stand trials

On 27 December, Minsk Maskouski Court sentenced youth opposition activists Volha Damaratskaya and Mikhail Matsevich to 10 days of imprisonment each.

26.12.2010 23 suspects in “mass riots” criminal case (updated)

The Human Rights Center "Viasna" has been monitoring the criminal charges brought against Belarusian politicians and civil activists, following the brutal dispersal of the 19 December peaceful protest in MInsk. As of 26 December, twenty three persons have been declared suspects in a criminal case over “mass riots” on 19 December. They may face up to 15 years of imprisonment. 21 of them are currently in the KGB's pre-trial prison. Ryhor Kastusiou released on his own recognizance. The whereabouts of Dmitry Us is still unknown. The deadline for brigning official charges is December 29. Apart from that, three activists, detained ahead of the rally, are facing criminal charges for "disorderly conduct".

25.12.2010 Police and KGB raid apartments and offices. Tatsiana Reviaka’s flat NOT raided

Despite Christmas, Belarusian law-enforcement agencies keep raiding opposition offices and apartments of civil and political activists, adding to the increasing atmosphere of fear in the society. We would like to inform that earlier reports on searches in the private apartment of Viasna’s activist Tatsiana Reviaka proved to be false.

25.12.2010 Police and KGB raid appartments of HR activists

At 12.40 this afternoon, Belarusian law-enforcement agencies broke into the private appartment of Tatsiana Reviaka, activist of the Human Rights Center "Viasna". The appartment is currently being searched. Earlier this morning, the KGB searched the private appartments of human rights defenders Aliaksei Kaputski and Aleh Vouchak.

24.12.2010 KGB officers search home of Nyaklyayew's campaign aide Alyaksandr Fyaduta

KGB officers late on Thursday searched the apartment of political expert Alyaksandr Fyaduta, a campaign aide of former presidential candidate Uladzimir Nyaklyayew.

24.12.2010 Lithuania's parliament passes resolution critical of Belarus' election

Lithuania's parliament on Thursday passed a resolution criticizing Belarus' presidential election and the brutal crackdown on the opposition's street protest on the election night, BelaPAN said.

24.12.2010 Netherlands urges EU to «take new measures against Belarusian regime»

The Dutch government has called on the European Union to "take new measures against the Belarusian regime," said the press office of the Dutch foreign ministry.

24.12.2010 All office equipment and election materials confiscated from Dzmitry Us’s office

The search of the printing enterprise “Trivium” headed by Dzmitry Us took three hours.

24.12.2010 Political scientist Svyatlana Navumava summoned to KGB

A famous political scientist Svyatlana Navumava has been summoned to KGB by phone. She has informed Euroradio about it and indicated that she will have to be there at 2 p.m.

24.12.2010 BHC put back by CEC chair Yarmoshyna

On 24 December, during a Central Election Commission meeting, its chair Lidzia Yarmoshyna said the consideration of an appeal by the Belarusian Helsinki Committee was not provided by the law.

24.12.2010 KGB raid apartment of “New Life” church’s lawyer

On 24 December, Minsk KGB raided the private apartment of Siarhei Lukanin, lawyer of the “New Life” Protestant Church, seizing PCs and data storage devices.