The Human Rights Center “Viasna”

News for May 2012

25.05.2012 Babruisk police refuse to address smear campaign against local BCD leader

Taisia Kabanchuk, Mahiliou regional leader of the Belarusian Christian Democracy’s organizing committee, has received a reply from local police, saying that they were unable to find the persons who left offensive leaflets in a store where the activist works.

25.05.2012 Journalist appeals confiscation of printed materials

Yulia Kanapliova, journalist of the Vitsebski Kurier independent newspaper, has lodged a complaint with Orsha court.

25.05.2012 U.S. Department of State's Report on Human Rights Practices in Belarus for 2011

The most significant human rights problems continued to be the inability of citizens to change their government; a system bereft of checks and balances in which authorities committed frequent, serious abuses; and the government’s politically motivated imprisonments of hundreds of people during the year. Additionally, the government failed to account for past politically motivated disappearances.

25.05.2012 UN Human Rights Committee registers complaint by For Free Elections campaign

The UN Human Rights Committee has registered a complaint submitted by the For Free Elections campaign, a Belarusian NGO denied state registration by the Ministry of Justice back in mid 2011.

25.05.2012 St. Petersburg human rights defenders picket for release of Ales Bialiatski. Photo Report.

On 24 May, Russian human rights defenders, members of the anti-discrimination centre "Memorial" staged a picket in central St. Petersburg, joining the international campaign for the release of Viasna leader Ales Bialiatski.

24.05.2012 Human rights defender Aleh Vouchak sentenced to 9 days of arrest

Human rights defender Aleh Vouchak has been sentenced to nine days of administrative arrest on disorderly conduct, Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty reports.

24.05.2012 Vitsebsk human rights defender urges local police to secure right to free dissemination of information

Mikalai Petrushenka, human rights defender and activist of the Nash Dom campaign, has addressed head of Vitsebsk regional department of internal affairs Aliaksandr Naidzenak with a letter, urging the high police official to provide explanations concerning the confiscation of printed materials from journalist Yulia Kanapliova on 20 May.

24.05.2012 Young Front activist Yaromenak sentenced to 10 days of arrest

Uladzimir Yaromenak, activist of the Young Front opposition movement, has been sentenced to 10 days of administrative arrest for alleged violation of Art. 17.1 of the Administrative Code (“disorderly conduct”).

24.05.2012 Pre-trial detention: measure of restraint or punishment?

The law enforcement agencies of Belarus have drafted a bill “On Making Addenda and Amendments to the Criminal Code, the Code of Criminal Procedures, and the Penal Code of Belarus, as well as the Code of Administrative Offences”, said Mrs. Natallia Andreyeva, head of the department of procedural control over the investigation of crimes against property of the Investigative Committee of Belarus, at a briefing with a BelTA news agency reporter.

24.05.2012 Berlin residents join campaign for abolition of death penalty in Belarus

Amnesty International’s office in Berlin held an action in support of a campaign for the abolition of the death penalty in Belarus.

24.05.2012 Human rights defender Aleh Vouchak detained in Minsk

Human rights defender Aleh Vouchak was reportedly detained by Minsk police this afternoon, the Nasha Niva newspaper reports, quoting the activist’s associate Zmitser Kukhlei.

24.05.2012 Amnesty Report Says Governments 'Fail To Lead' Against Abuse

Amnesty International says courage shown by rights protesters during the past year has been matched by an "endemic failure of leadership" from local and international authorities.

24.05.2012 Concert in hounour of Kastus Kalinouski banned in Hrodna

Famous punk band Kalyan and a new rock project Dzeciuki were expected to play at the concern.

24.05.2012 Brest human rights defender appeals restrictions on peaceful assembly at Constitutional Court

Brest human rights defender Uladzimir Vialichkin has lodged a complaint with the Constitutional Court, appealing a decision by the city’s executive committee that imposed inadmissible restrictions on the freedom of peaceful assembly.

24.05.2012 Babruisk trade union leader appeals unprecedented obstacles

Mikhail Kavalkou, Babruisk leader of the Belarusian Free Trade Union, has lodged a complaint with the town’s prosecuting officials, after he has been unable to access his office located on the territory of local Tractor Supplies Plant, Euroradio reports, quoting the web-site of the Belarusian Congress of Democratic Trade Unions.