The Human Rights Center “Viasna”

News for August 2012

06.08.2012 Maskouski District Court of Minsk refuses to consider Aleh Volchak's appeal

On 10 July Aleh Volchak addressed the Maskouski District Court of Minsk with an appeal against the actions (inaction) of the state institution resulting in inhuman and humiliating treatment, asking to close down the delinquents' isolation center in Akrestsin Street for bringing it in line with the UN standard minimum rules for the treatment of prisoners.

06.08.2012 Human rights defender appeals ruling about mass events

Human rights defender Uladzimir Tseliapun applied to the Mazyr District Court against ruling of the Mazyr District Executive Committee #1202 of 15 September 2011 concerning the holding of mass events. After the adoption of this ruling the local authorities started demanding that organizers of mass events concluded paid service agreements with police, medics and communal utilities and attached them to applications for the authorization of such actions.

06.08.2012 Black PR used against BPF candidate in Pinsk

As soon as the head of the Pinsk organization of the Belarusian Popular Front Aliaksandr Ramanovich stated his intention to get nominated as a candidate for the Parliament at Pinsk election constituency #14, a denigration campaign was launched against him.

06.08.2012 People are prevented from meeting Prosecutor General

In Mazyr a citizen who had a personal appointment with the Prosecutor General, was met by the district prosecutor Sushchynski who introduced himself as the Prosecutor General, promising to solve his problems.

06.08.2012 Navapolatsk: detention for banner “Freedom to Bialiatski!”

In the evening of 5 August an activist of the civil association “Free Region” Aliaksandr Drazdou was detained during an attempt to hang out a banner “Freedom to Bialiatski!”.

06.08.2012 Human rights defender reminds Maladechna citizens about Ales Bialiatski

As the city authorities prohibited Maladechna dweller Eduard Balanchuk to hold a picket at the central square, he walked there wearing a T-shirt “Freedom to Ales Bialiatski” in order to remind about the anniversary of the arrest of the well-known human rights defender. The police didn't pose any pretensions to him.

06.08.2012 Baranavichy: action of solidarity on anniversary of imprisonment of Ales Bialiatski

On 4 August, the anniversary of the imprisonment of Ales Bialiatski, local human rights defenders and civil activists held an action of solidarity with political prisoners. They posted and handed out leaflets with the demand to release the human rights defender Ales Bialiatski, the head of the Human Rights Center “Viasna”, vice-President of the International Federation for Human Rights (FIDH).

06.08.2012 BPF nominates 8 candidates in Mahiliou region

8 candidates for the parliamentary election was nominated at the assembly of the Belarusian Popular Front Party on 4 August.

Executive committees of Homel districts refuse to accept applications for inclusion of opposition activists in precinct election commissions

06.08.2012 Executive committees of Homel districts refuse to accept applications for inclusion of opposition activists in precinct election commissions

On 4 August Homel oppositionists who intended to take part in the upcoming parliamentary election as members of precinct election commissions faced a sudden obstacle: the administrations of city districts of Homel refused to accept their applications saying they had a day-off.

06.08.2012 Siarhei Skrabets withdraws from election because of KGB threats

The politician received threats he would go to jail again and his and his relatives' property would be seized.

06.08.2012 Political prisoner Aliaksandr Frantskevich put into penal cell for 10 days

The political prisoner refused to fulfill an order of the penal colony authorities.

06.08.2012 German MPs demand the release of Ales Bialiatski

Marieluise Beck, Member of the German Bundestag, and Katrin Göring-Eckardt, Vice-President of the German Bundestag, made the statement.

06.08.2012 Belarusian TV: Stefan Eriksson “was engaged in subversive activity in our country”

Official Belarusian TV-channels told “the truth” about the Swedish ambassador. Yesterday evening TV-channels Belarus-1 and ONT reported on the expulsion of Swedish ambassador Stefan Eriksson.

06.08.2012 Political prisoner Mikalai Statkevich doesn't get enough food

The political prisoner demands the prison authorities to fulfill the prison food regulations. Mikalai Statkevich sent a letter to his wife Maryna Adamovich. Maryna also talked to him on the phone. According to her, the political prisoner thanks all activists, who joined the initiative groups to propose Statkevich as a candidate. Maryna Adamovich says Mikalai Statkevich received a part of copies of decisions of election commissions, which refused to register the former presidential candidate. “Mikalai noted the decisions have the same text,” Maryna Adamovich says. She learned from a letter about her husband's long struggle for observing the nutrition guidelines for inmates. He found out these regulations were being violated, RFE/RL reports.

06.08.2012 Der Spiegel: Gernal police trained Belarusian riot police after 19 December 2010

Accusations that German federal police had questionable ties to the despotic regime of Belarusian dictator Aliaksandr Lukashenka were summarily dismissed by the head of the force last week. Now, new information has revealed that the rumors were actually true. The last training was conducted from 21 to 25 February 2011.