The Human Rights Center “Viasna”

News for 1 Sep 2011

01.09.2011 Ales Bialiatski: life behind bars

The arrested Chair of the Human Rights Center Viasna tries to use the time he has to spend in custody as effectively as possible. He reads books, learns English, does physical exercises and writes memoirs about the literary society Tuteishyia in the remand jail. He wrote this in several letters to his colleagues.

01.09.2011 Belarusian Association of Journalists moves for release of Atroshchankau Bandarenka and Seviarynets

“Taking into consideration the granted pardon to a number of people, convicted for participation in the events of 19 December 2010 as well as a statement, delivered by the President of Belarus on the necessity to start a broad dialogue in the country, we call on you to initiate the release from custody of journalists and BAJ members Aliaksandr Atroshchankau and Dzmitry Bandarenka, imprisoned within the abovementioned case, as well as Pavel Seviarynets, sentenced to restriction of liberty”, BAJ leaders underscored in the letter of appeal. “The organization regards their criminal prosecution as restriction of freedom of expression, guaranteed by the Constitution of Belarus”, they added.

01.09.2011 Zmitser Bandarenka secretly transferred to penal colony

Zmitser Bandarenka was kept in the detention facility of the Minsk Main Police Department in Valadarski Street yesterday. Aliaksandr Valantsevich, an activist of European Belarus civil campaign came to the detention facility today to learn news about the political prisoner. He was told Bandarenka had already been sent to penal colony Nr 15 in Mahiliou.

01.09.2011 Police hinder traditional outdoor assembly of Belarusian Humanities Lyceum

Students of the liquidated Belarusian Humanities Lyceum named after Ya. Kolas come to the former building of the lyceum (which is occupied by the Tsentralny District Court of Minsk) to mark the beginning of the curriculum year.

01.09.2011 Dashkevich had another meeting with his lawyer

On 31 August political prisoner Zmitser Dashkevich had the second meeting with his lawyer.

01.09.2011 Collective appeal to UN concerning unlawful actions of Homel City Executive Committee

Activists of the Trade Union of Radio Electronic Industry lodged a collective complaint to the UN against repeated violation of freedom of peaceful assemblies by the Homel CEC which groundlessly refused to authorize street rallies.

01.09.2011 Baranavichy: beaten and fined

On 30 August 2011 the Baranavichy Town and District Court fined civil activist Aliaksandr Vaitseshyk for insubordination to lawful demands of police officer (Article 23.4 of the Code of Administrative Offenses).

01.09.2011 Babruisk: police detain youth coordinator of Belarusian Christian Democracy

As told to the press-service of the Belarusian Christian Democracy by A.Sapeha, on 29 or 30 August the Babruisk police detained Maksim Ryzhkevich, a coordinator of the Young Christian Democrats (BCD Youth).

01.09.2011 Chair of the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly Committee on Democracy, Human Rights and Humanitarian Questions calls for release of Ales Bialiatski

COPENHAGEN, 1 September 2011—Matteo Mecacci (Italy), chair of the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly Committee on Democracy, Human Rights and Humanitarian Questions today called on Belarusian authorities to immediately cease the harassment of human rights activists, including Ales Bialiatski.