The Human Rights Center “Viasna”

News for 1 Feb 2012

01.02.2012 Minsk: court sides with Belarusian TV

On 1 February 1 Anastasiya Rahacheuskaya, judge of the Pershamaiski District Court of Minsk, issued a verdict on the lawsuit of a resident of Homel, activist of the Movement "For Freedom" Aliaksandr Pratsko. He filed an appeal against the Belarusian State TV and Radio Company as a representative of his daughter who is currently serving a prison term.

01.02.2012 Tatsiana Seviarynets asks procuracy to inspect tuberculosis hospital

Tatsiana Seviarynets, a coordinator of the steering committee of the Belarusian Christian Democracy Party (BCD), applied to the Vitsebsk Regional Procuracy with the request to hold a check-up at the Vitsebsk regional tuberculosis hospital in the settlement of Bahusheusk. According to her information, rights of patients are violated there. In particular, they are threatened with repressions for any complaints about the conditions and medical treatment.

01.02.2012 Supreme Court turns down appeal against verdict to political prisoner Eduard Lobau

The Supreme Court of Belarus didn’t grant the appeal against the verdict to the activist of the “Young Front” Eduard Lobau, according to which he was sentenced to 4 years in high-security prison, as the testimonies of the “victims” in the case were allegedly trustworthy.

01.02.2012 Under-aged Lobau fined for spilling noodles at the entrance of Belarusian State TV and Radio Company

The Maskouski district administrative commission of Minsk considered the case of Uladzislau Lobau, an under-aged activist of the Belarusian National-Bolshevik Party who took part in spilling noodles and scattering leaflets at the entrance of the Belarusian State TV and Radio Company on 3 December 2011. The youngsters did it to express their protest against false information regularly spread by the state media.

01.02.2012 Belarusian Helsinki Committee addresses Commission for Pardons

Representatives of the Belarusian Helsinki Committee are seeking to attend the sitting of the Commission for Pardons which will consider the case of the death convicts Dzmitry Kanavalau and Uladzislau Kavaliou, found guilty of terrorist act in the Minsk metro and a number of other episodes.

01.02.2012 Sannikau's lawyers go to court

According to the wife of the political prisoner, Iryna Khalip, on 31 January the lawyers filed a lawsuit with the Mahiliou City Court concerning their non-admission to Mr. Sannikau during his keeping in the Mahiliou prison.

01.02.2012 Mechyslau Hryb wins case vs. Belarus at UN

The UN Human Rights Committee ruled in favor of the individual communication of Mechyslau Hryb concerning the violation of his legal rights by the Republic of Belarus.

01.02.2012 Picket in support of Ales Bialiatski held in Stockholm

A picket in support of human rights defender Ales Bialiatski and other political prisoners in Belarus was held near the Belarusian Embassy in Stockholm on 31 January. It was organized by the Swedish human rights initiative Östgruppen in cooperation with Civil Rights Defenders, the Swedish branch of Amnesty International and the Swedish Union of Writers.

01.02.2012 Ales Bialiatski: “During bad times prison can be the best place for a human rights defender”

The head of the Human Rights Center “Viasna” is awaiting the to a penal colony.

01.02.2012 Aleh Volchak “Russian citizens went on hunger-strike in detention center”

The human rights activist reports about lots of illegal migrants in the detention center in Akrestsin Street and two Russians, who went on hunger strike.