The Human Rights Center “Viasna”

News for 3 Nov 2011

03.11.2011 Belarus activist facing jail over “politically motivated” tax charges

The Belarusian authorities must immediately release a prominent human rights activist and prisoner of conscience who faces up to seven years in jail on “politically motivated” charges of tax evasion, Amnesty International said today.

03.11.2011 Babruisk: detentions on Ancestors’ Commemoration Day

On 2 November Babruisk residents intended to commemorate ancestors by gathering near a Catholic cathedral and an Orthodox church, lighting candles and proceeding to a monument to victims of repressions.

03.11.2011 Homel: Uladzimir Katsora gets warned

On 2 November Uladzimir Katsora, an organizer of the People’s Assembly in Homel has been served a warning by the Savetski District Procuracy of Homel.

03.11.2011 Babruisk: Viktar Buzinayeu arrested for ten days

The Babruisk City Court sentenced Viktar Buzinayeu, the head of the local office of the United Civil Party, to ten days of jail.

03.11.2011 Babruisk: police pressurize civil activists

A police inspector paid a visit to the apartment of Maryna Hradulenka, a Babruisk-based activist of the civil movement “Tell The Truth!” after 8 p.m. on 2 November. He wanted her to sign a warning about responsibility for participation in unauthorized actions and violations of the laws on press and mass media.

03.11.2011 Trial of Ales Bialiatski, day 2 (updated)

The trial of the Chairman of the Human Rights Center “Viasna”, vice-President of the International Federation for Human Rights Ales Bialiatski continues at the Pershamaiski District Court of Minsk.

03.11.2011 Are letters to “Narodnaya Volia” censored?

Salihorsk-based civil activist Mikalai Sharavar thinks that the Belarusian post can censor the letters that are sent to the editorial office of the private newspaper “Narodnaya Volia”.

03.11.2011 Homel: police hound Kastus Zhukouski

Homel police still persecute the civil activist. According to Zhukouski, a police car with five policemen in uniform kept duty near his house on 2 November. “A friend came to me at about 12 a.m. – the car was standing near my house. At 2 p.m. the car was still there, and even in the evening, after 6 p.m. Don’t they have any other things to do? Probably, they want to isolate me on the eve of the People’s Assembly appointed on 12 November,” commented Mr. Zhukouski.

03.11.2011 Human rights defenders draw attention to manifestations of neo-Nazism in Brest

The Brest regional newspaper “Zarya” has published an article “Brown Distemper” about a severe beating of two citizens by fans of a local football club. As said by a member of the Belarusian Helsinki Committee Valiantsin Lazarenkau, this article again confirms that there is really a neo-Nazi youth group among the local football fans.

03.11.2011 Vitsebsk: shall Tatsiana Seviarynets pay one fine twice?

Vitsebsk-based activist Tatsiana Seviarynets received a letter from the Pershamaiski District Court of Vitsebsk, signed by court marshal Katsiaryna Tkachonak. According to the letter, the activist shall pay 700,000 rubles fine for the organization of an unauthorized mass event on 3 July (she just proceeded along Lenin Street in a company of friends).