The Human Rights Center “Viasna”

News for January 2012

31.01.2012 OMCT condemns arrest of human rights defender Aleh Volchak

We present to your attention the full text of the appropriate document.

31.01.2012 Hrodna: journalist of Radio “Racyja” receives oral warning from KGB

Journalist Hrazhyna Shalkevich came to the Hrodna KGB department on an official summons (which, however, was composed with violations – her status wasn't mentioned in this paper). She was accompanied by a lawyer, but a KGB officer stated she didn't the lawyer's assistance as she was neither a suspect, nor an accused.

31.01.2012 According to unofficial information, Mikalai Autukhovich was transferred to Hrodna prison

It was stated by the former lawyer of political prisoner Mikalai Autukhovich, Pavel Sapelka. “There is no official information about it, but I was informed that he is kept in prison #1 in Hrodna,” said Mr. Sapelka.

31.01.2012 Democracy increases: lawyers aren't recommended to give interviews without permission

The Minsk City and the Minsk region bars have received the appropriate letters, signed by the head of the national bar, Mr. Chaichyts. Lawyers are recommended to receive the agreement of the heads of their bars before giving any interviews, while deputy heads of the bars are charged with studying the content of such interviews and filing them with the national bar.

31.01.2012 Former police lieutenant-colonel addresses General Procuracy

Viktar Malochka, retired police lieutenant-colonel, applied to the Prosecutor General, A.Kaniuk, with the request to hold a repeated check-up concerning his unlawful detentions in summer 2011 and false testimonies given by officers of the Salihorsk District Police Department.

31.01.2012 Police prevent journalists from seeing hunger-striker from “Granite” enterprise

Six days ago Leanid Hladzevich, a driver working at the “Granite” plant in the city of Mikashevichy, went on a hunger-strike of protest against the pressurization of members of the independent trade-union and deprivation of the head of its local unit, Aleh Stakhayevich, of driver's license for six months.

31.01.2012 Brest: court finds no violations in actions of deputy-head of city administration

Siarhei Vakulenka, na activist of the movement “For Freedom”, filed an appeal with the Leninski District Court of Brest against actions of the deputy head of the Brest City Executive Committee, Viachaslau Khafizau.

31.01.2012 Supreme Court leaves verdict to Seviarynets unchanged

The Supreme Court of Belarus found the verdict delivered against BCD co-chairman Pavel Seviarynets in May 2011 lawful and fair.

31.01.2012 Siarhei Kavalenka's wife not allowed to meet with him

Siarhei Kavalenka, an activist of the Conservative Christian Party BPD from Vitsebsk, has been on hunger strike for the 43rd day. His wife is not allowed to see her husband, Radio “Racyja” reports.

31.01.2012 Andrei Sannikau refutes MIA statement

On 30 January the lawyer was allowed to hold a one-hour conversation with a presidential candidate Andrei Sannikau. “As I have understood from the words of the lawyer, after my press-conference attitude to Sannikau did not change for the better or for the worse,” said the wife of the politician Iryna Khalip.

30.01.2012 Vitsebsk resident Pyotr Ivanov: detained for leaflets, fined for “dirty swearing”

Vitebsk resident Pyotr Ivanov, a citizen of the Russian Federation, representative of the party "United Russia" and the activist of the civil campaign "Speak Truth," was fined 140,000 rubles for allegedly using foul language. He had been detained for handing out leaflets calling for solidarity with Siarhei Kavalenka.

30.01.2012 Aleh Volchak sentenced to 4 days of arrest

Human rights activist Aleh Volchak was detained outdoors on 27 January in Minsk and guarded to the Maskouski District Police Department of Minsk.

30.01.2012 Communication concerning torture of Andrei Sannikau filed with UN Special Rapporteur on Torture

A complaint about torture of Belarusian presidential candidate Andrei Sannikau has been submitted to the UN special rapporteur on torture.

30.01.2012 Belarusian Helsinki Committee asks General Procuracy to check information about torture of Andrei Sannikau

The reason for the appeal of the Belarusian Helsinki Committee to the General Procuracy is information which was filed by the wife of former presidential candidate Andrei Sannikau, Iryna Khalip at a press conference in Minsk on 25 January.

30.01.2012 Hrodna journalist summonsed to KGB

The Hrodna journalist Hrazhyna Shalkevich was summonsed to the Hrodna regional KGB department. They wanted to pass her an official summons on Saturday evening, but she was absent from home. At about 2 p.m. on Sunday she was visited by a police officer, who issued her with a summons for 6 p.m. of that day. The journalist wasn’t told why she was to come to the KGB department on a day-off, Sunday.