The Human Rights Center “Viasna”

News for 9 Dec 2011

09.12.2011 Boxes with 165,000 petitions to Lukashenka sent to Presidential Administration

“Amnesty International” demands from Aliaksandr Lukashenka to introduce a moratorium on the death penalty. It was stated at today’s press-conference by the organization’s researcher Heather McGill.

09.12.2011 Over 250,000 people call on Belarus to end executions

Amnesty International and Belarusian human rights organizations Viasna and Belarus Helsinki Committee were today turned away from delivering a global petition to Belarusian President Alyaksandr Lukashenka, calling for an end to executions in Belarus.

09.12.2011 Brest: trade union activist struggle for freedom of peaceful assemblies

Valiantsin Lazarenkau, head of the Brest regional unit of the Free Trade Union of Belarus, applied to the Brest Region Court, trying to prove that the decisions taken by the Brest City Executive Committee concerning mass events are almost impossible to implement.

09.12.2011 Ales Bialiatski passes words of gratitude to everyone and says: “Don't be afraid!”

A letter was received from human rights defender Ales Bialiatski, sentenced to 4.5 years in a high-security colony. He wrote it on 30 November, after the announcement of the verdict, but before his transfer to the Zhodzina prison. After the trial he returned to his usual affairs – learning English, reading and answering a great number of letters. He feels quite well and calm and wishes it to all his colleagues. Ales is sure that the dirt which was flung at him by state-owned media didn't touch him, but the strong support from many acquaintances and strangers made a great positive impact.

09.12.2011 Salihorsk: forced subscription to state-own junk media reaches kindergartens

The problem of forced subscription to state-owned press is getting more acute in Salihorsk. Earlier this practice concerned predominately workers of large enterprises and entrepreneurs, but at present even parents whose children go to state kindergartens are forced to subscribe too.

09.12.2011 Salihorsk: you need an official permission to be a Santa!

Some Salihorskers wanted to hold a festive New Year action for low-income families, whose members cannot afford to call Santa Claus for their children. They phoned to the education department in order to get the addresses of such families. They said that they have the appropriate costumes and gifts and wanted to hold a charitable action for Salihorsk children.

09.12.2011 Baranavichy: 14 pickets banned in turn

The Baranavichy City Executive Committee denied civil activist Ryhor Makarevich in holding a picket in the old city park on 17 December. By means of this action Makarevich wanted to morally support the people who were in a hard economic situation due to the crisis.

09.12.2011 Biaroza: police are free to beat pensioners

Hanna Kavalevich, a pensioner from Biaroza, received a answer from the head of the Brest Region Police Department, in which she asked to give a legal assessment to actions of the officer of an officer of the Biaroza District Police Department Yakau Samasiuk and the convoy of the paddy wagon who worked at 7 p.m. on 13 July (during the dispersal of a silent protest action) in Biaroza, and tell how the direct participants of her beating were punishment.

09.12.2011 Mahiliou: Iryna Tryhubava to be tried for leaflet

Iryna Tryhubava, an activist of the Free Trade Union of Steelworkers, was detained about three weeks ago near the porch of a house in the Yubileiny syburb.

09.12.2011 Tatsiana Hatsura gets fined on her birthday

Civil activist and a mother of many children Tatsiana Hatsuara (pregnant at the time) turns 31 today.

09.12.2011 Brest: picket in support of political prisoners banned too

Human rights activist Uladzimir Vialichkin applied for holding a one-hour picket to the Brest City Executive Committee.

09.12.2011 Babruisk: UCP activist Zmitser Toustsik put on wanted list

His wife Alena received this information from police. She says a criminal case was opened against her husband.

09.12.2011 Orsha: investigation into BPF members' case expands its geography

On 8 December in Orsha a member of the Sojm of the Belarusian Popular Front Party A. Shutau was visited by a representative of the inquiries department of the Orsha City Police Department.