The Human Rights Center “Viasna”

News for 15 Mar 2012

15.03.2012 Human rights defenders stand for immediate introduction of a moratorium on the death penalty in Belarus

On 14 March 2012 Belarusian mass media published the information that Aliaksandr Lukashenka refused to pardon Uladzislau Kavaliou and Dzmitry Kanavalau.

15.03.2012 Brest Regional Court turns down Dzianis Turchaniak’s appeal

The coordinator of the movement “For Freedom” Dzianis Turchaniak tried to appeal against the verdict of the Leninski District Court of Brest which refused to oblige the head of the Brest City Executive Committee Viachaslau Khafizau to publicize the information about the fate of the building which are registered as monuments of historical and cultural heritage and are in a bad state.

15.03.2012 Baranavichy police looking for author of information about unauthorized rally

On 15 March police major Vital Dabrachynski called civil activist Viktar Syrytsa to come to room #106 of the Baranavichy City Police Department. He wanted the activist to tell who the author of the information which was published on independent websites on 28 December 2011 and concerned an unauthorized rally the entrepreneur Mikalai Charnavus intended to hold was.

15.03.2012 Liubou Kavaliova: "We always tell Uladzislau that we will make everything possible to save him from unfair punishment"

As it became known on 14 March from the state TV, president Lukashenka refused to pardon Uladzislau Kavaliou and Dzmitry Kanavalau. Several days of painful uncertainty ended with a terrible blow for their relatives.

15.03.2012 Baranavichy: one-man picket banned

Deputy head of the Baranavichy city organization of the Belarusian Leftist Party "Fair World" received a letter signed by the deputy head of the Baranavichy City Executive Committee Dz. Kastsiukevich.

15.03.2012 Freedom Day action banned in Slonim

On 7 March members of the democratic society of Slonim applied to the Slonim District Executive Committee with the application for authorization of a rally dedicated to the Freedom Day, 25 March (the date of the proclamation of the Belarusian People's Republic in 1918), in the city park.

15.03.2012 Brest authorities allowed only one out of three pickets

Activists of the Belarusian Leftist Party "Fair World" intended to hold three pickets on 17 March in order to draw public attention to the implementation of the legal right to accessible accommodation.

15.03.2012 Preventive supervision established over ex-political prisoner Uladzimir Yaromenak

On 15 March the Pershamaiski District Court established the preventive supervision over former political prisoner, activist of the "Young Front" Uladzimir Yaromenak.

15.03.2012 "Terrorists" executed?

Belarus will meet the anniversary of the bloodiest terrorist act in the history of the country in high spirits. The case is closed, the guilty are punished…

15.03.2012 Human rights defender Aleh Volchak cannot get his passport

As BelaPAN news agency learned from human rights activist Aleh Volchak, he filed a complaint to the prosecutor's office of the Tsentralny district of Minsk informing that policemen refuse to give back his passport.

15.03.2012 Rahachou: Dzianis Dashkevich fired

Dzianis Dashkevich, a coordinator of the steering committee of the Belarusian Christian Democracy party in Rahachou, was fired from the Rahachou district consumer society.

15.03.2012 Political prisoner Dashkevich put into penal cell for 30 days

Relatives and friends of the "Young Front" leader are shocked by the number of days he had to spend in the punishment cell.

15.03.2012 More victims of foreign travel restrictions

Zhanna Litvina, Mikhail Yanchuk and Andrei Bandarenka were not allowed to leave Belarus.

15.03.2012 Belarusian MFA tries to threaten EU

The question on the return of EU ambassadors to Minsk will be discussed only if sanctions against the Belarusian regime are not imposed. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Belarus links the return of European ambassadors to Minsk to a decision of the EU on new sanctions.