The Human Rights Center “Viasna”

News for 11 Jul 2011

11.07.2011 Baranavichy: civil activist Uladzimir Hundar appeals unlawful actions of police

On 8 July 2011 civil activist Uladzimir Hundar lodged an appeal against unlawful actions of officials of the Baranavichy City Police Department and the head of the Baranavichy police.

11.07.2011 Court returns cassation appeal to political prisoner Rymasheuski

The Frunzenski District Court of Minsk returned the cassation appeal to a former presidential candidate, co-Chair of the organizing committee of the Belarusian Christian Democracy Vital Rymasheuski.

11.07.2011 Valery Klimichenka sentenced to 15 days of arrest

The activist was detained at the silent protest action in the town of Maladechna on 6 July. However, at the trial he demanded to summon additional witnesses. As a result, the proceedings were postponed to 11 July. However, it didn’t help the defendant, who was sentenced to 15 days of arrest, a maximal sentence provided by Article 23.34 of the Code of Administrative Offences, “violation of the rules of organizing or holding a mass event”.

11.07.2011 Yury Salodki: beaten, imprisoned, keeping dry hunger-strike

Hanna, the wife of the arrested protester Yury Salodki, says that her husband has been keeping a dry hunger-strike for 7 days already in the prison in Akrestsin Street in Minsk. He has been sentenced to 13 days of arrest for participation in the silent protest action on Pryvakzalnaya Square in Minsk on 3 July.

11.07.2011 Hrodna: arrested protesters keep hunger-strike of protest

According to http://harodniaspring.org, the people who were detained during the silent protests in Hrodna and are kept in prison, are keeping a hunger-strike of protest against the unlawful imprisonment. Civil activists from Hrodna learned about it when they started insisting on passing food parcels to the prisoners, whereas the guards refused to take them. Soon the guards had to admit that the arrested refused from food.

Case concerning protests at <em>Bruzgi</em> is getting even more absurd

11.07.2011 Case concerning protests at Bruzgi is getting even more absurd

36 people who have been already punished for blocking the road at the border crossing point Bruzgi in order to protest against the fuel export restrictions are called to court again. The trial will take place on 20 July.

Navapolatsk: trade union activist dismissed from <em>Naftan</em> plant

11.07.2011 Navapolatsk: trade union activist dismissed from Naftan plant

On 15 July a search was conducted at the apartment of Yauhen Kanstantsinau. The official reason was that the police had been allegedly informed that he was selling moonshine. They confiscated some leaflets from him. On 18 July two provocateurs (Makaranka and Silitski) attacked the activist, after which he was detained by the police. He was charged under Article 17.1, “disorderly conduct”.

11.07.2011 Nasha Niva got another warning

Though it seems absurd, the private socio-political weekly Nasha Niva received another official warning just before the beginning of the trial on its dissolution.

11.07.2011 Quiet discrimination

“There are no colleges or lyceums in Belarus that provide sufficient conditions for the study of disabled people together with all others within the framework of an integrated system,” states human rights defender Alena Tankachova.

11.07.2011 Uladzimir Shulzhytski sentenced to 15 days of arrest

Uladzimir Shulzhytski, a youth activist from Smarhon, was detained at the silent protest action on 6 July in Maladechna. The following day he was released from jail because of the absence of witnesses of his “misdemeanor”.