The Human Rights Center “Viasna”

News for November 2011

09.11.2011 A new film in support of Ales Bialiatski (video)

The trial against Mr. Ales Bialiatski, FIDH Vice-President and President of the Human Rights Center “Viasna” (Belarus), currently arbitrarily detained in relation with his human rights activities, is presently taking place in Minsk. In many States of the Eastern Europe and Central Asia region, human rights defenders are facing similar harsh repression: obstacles to freedoms of assembly and association, hindrances to NGO registration, criminalisation of unregistered organisations, obstacles of access to funding, judicial harassment and arbitrary detentions.

09.11.2011 Vitsebsk: armed assault on Taras Surhan

On 4 November the head of the Vitebsk branch of "Young Belarus" Taras Surhan was beaten and slashed with a knife. The incident took place as Taras returned home from work. The unidentified young men suddenly approached Taras, asked him for a cigarette and began to beat him. They also slashed him with a knife and then ran away.

09.11.2011 Niakliayeu banned from going abroad for medical treatment

On 9 November the criminal correction inspection of the Leninski District of Minsk banned former presidential candidate Uladzimir Niakliayeu to go abroad for treatment. The politician told this to “Belorusski Partizan”.

09.11.2011 Vitsebsk invalids complain about violation of their rights

The Vitsebk Regional Council adopted a complex program for the development of social services in 2011-2015. However, the regional organization of the Belarusian Association of Invalids was proposed to find financing for the realization of its proposals.

09.11.2011 Chief editor of “Narodnaya Volia” summonsed to procuracy

Officers of the General Procuracy issued a summon to Iosif Siaredzich, Chief Editor of the private newspaper “Narodnaya Volia” in connection with the article “People’s Assembly as a form of self-organization of citizens”.

09.11.2011 Vitsebsk: regional authorities mock at human rights activist

Recently human rights defender Pavel Levinau has received an answer from the Vitsebsk Regional Executive Committee concerning his address to the head of the REC, Aliaksandr Kosinets. Levinau is informed that the application was reitstered and would be considered by the personnel department of the executive committee within the legally established terms. The human rights defender considers it as mockery.

09.11.2011 Homel: Vasil Paliakou detained till trial

Vasil Paliakou, a member of the organizing committee of the People's Assembly in Homel, was detained after 4 p.m. on 8 November. At first he was taken to the Savetski District Police Department, and then – to a pre-trial detention center. He managed to inform his friends that he was charged under Article 23.34 of the Cofe of Administrative Offenses, “violation of the order of holding mass events”.

09.11.2011 Dziarzhynsk: civil activist summonsed to police in connection with 26 October action

Aliaksandr Tarnahurski, a civil activist from Dziarzhynsk, received a summon to police for 10 November. The summon concerns the action which took place on 26 October, when portraits of political prisoners were posted in the Minsk metor. The police allegedly has information about his participation in it.

09.11.2011 Oldest worker of Radio “Liberty” denied visa

81-year-old Belarusian Halina Rudnik was going to hold a presentation of her memoirs, issued in the series “Library of Freedom”. The presentation was to have taken place in October. However, according to the head of the Belarusian service of Radio “Liberty”, Aliaksandr Lukashuk, Mrs. Rudnik was denied a visa at the Belarusian Embassy in Germany, without any explanations.

09.11.2011 Ales Bialiatski points at those who ordered the criminal case

"I state that this case was instigated and conducted with evident political motives, with the aim to persecute members of the Human Rights Center “Viasna”, including me, for human rights activities," - stated Ales Bialiatski on 4 November, during the third day of the trial. To confirm his words, he read some documents from the first volume of criminal case # 11081100188, which were just mentioned by the prosecutor during the study of the case.

08.11.2011 Krychau: officers of tax inspection continue pressurizing independent journalist

Several days ago Siarhei Niarouny, chief editor of the private newspaper “Volny Horad”, received another letter from the tax inspection. This time he is demanded to give explanations concerning the 4.5 million rubles he spent for his own needs during 2009 and the first half of 2010.

08.11.2011 State media denigrate Bialiatski and “Viasna” all over Belarus

The state-owned newspapers “Mahiliouskiya Vedamastsi”, “Prydniaprouskaya Niva”, "Vitebski Rabochy" and "Narodnaye Slova" have published an article "How “human rights defender” "Bialiatski made a nice life for himself”. Most probably, soon this publication will appear in other state-own newspapers.

08.11.2011 Participant of 19 December protest rally discriminated at work

Stanislau Khaladovich, a machinist of pumping units of the central water supply point of Ivatsevichy, was transferred to the position of a fitter due to the staff reduction.

08.11.2011 Criminal case against three BPF members reopened

The criminal case against three members of the Belarusian Popular Front, Maksim Hubarevich, Ales Kalita and Siarhei Semianiuk, suspected in hooliganism (Article 339 of the Criminal Code) has been reopened. It was stated by Siarhei Semianiuk to BelaPAN.

08.11.2011 Uladzimir Yukho sentenced to 7 days of arrest

Political activist Uladzimir Yukho was detained in Loshytsa suburb in Minsk during a commemorative procession in honor of victims of Stalin's repressions on 7 November.