The Human Rights Center “Viasna”

News for 15 Mar 2011

Human Rights Chronicle: Belarusian Helsinki Committee and <em>Viasna</em> to cover situation of human rights in Belarus together

15.03.2011 Human Rights Chronicle: Belarusian Helsinki Committee and Viasna to cover situation of human rights in Belarus together

The human rights situation in Belarus has deteriorated considerably after the presidential election of 2010. Human rights defenders registered a sharp increase in politically motivated repression and many cases of violation and restriction of fundamental rights and freedoms within the three post-election months.

15.03.2011 Invention of Belarusian KGB: telephone interrogation

Krystsina Shatsikava, an activist of the civil campaign Nash Dom from Mahiliou, was summonsed for an interrogation at the Minsk KGB. KGB officers promised her a reimbursement for the travel expenses. However, the activist demanded to pay the money in advance, as when she had come to the Minsk City Police Department they had also promised a reimbursement, but instead gave her a written obligation to pay the money after getting fines from participants of the “mass riot”.

15.03.2011 Mikita Likhavid to be tried on 22 March

The first court sitting on the criminal case against Mikita Likhavid (one of the accused of participation in the 19 December “mass riot”, Article 293, part 2 of the Criminal Code) will take place at 10 a.m. on 22 March.

15.03.2011 Tatsiana Seviarynets not allowed to to meet with her son for the third time

The investigation refused to let Tatsiana Seviarynets, the mother of politician Pavel Seviarynets who has been in the KGB pre-trial prison since 19 December 2010, meet with her son. He wasn't allowed to meet with an Orthodox priest, either.

15.03.2011 Iryna Pankavets remains “chronically unemployed”

Iryna Pankavets. mother of the editor of the politics department of the socio-political weekly Nasha Niva Dzmitry Pankavets, cannot find a job for three months already. She was fired from the position of a cook at the Starabarysau secondary school after serving ten-day arrest for participation in the 19 December action of protest against the rigged election.

15.03.2011 Civil Society Forum cannot find premises for its conference

The National platform of the Civil Society Forum of the Eastern Partnership cannot find a place for holding its conference “Role and Place of Civil Society in Strategy of Future”.

15.03.2011 Salihorsk police are looking for Ivan Shyla

In the evening of 14 March a police inspector phoned to the home phone of Ivan's father and told that he needed to bring Ivan to court. However, he was unable to explain the reasons. The policeman also asked about the whereabouts of Ivan's brother, Illia.

15.03.2011 Belarus: Disbarment of human rights lawyer Mr Pavel Sapelka

On 3 March 2011, the Board of the Minsk City Bar disbarred human rights lawyer Mr Pavel Sapelka following prolonged pressure from the Belarusian Ministry of Justice. Pavel Sapelka is a well-known lawyer, member of Presidium of Minsk City Bar, who has worked at the legal consultation office No 2, Savetsky district, Minsk since 1994.