The Human Rights Center “Viasna”

News for October 2012

29.10.2012 Young Front activists stand trial in Miory

Two activists of the Young Front opposition movement detained on Saturday were expected to stand trials in the town of Miory. However, only one of them (Zmitser Kremianetski) was convicted, while the other activist, Raman Vasliyeu, was taken to hospital with high blood pressure.

29.10.2012 Medical and clothing parcels allowed for Dziadok

Now the political prisoner will be able to receive medicine and warm clothes for winter.

29.10.2012 Political prisoner Vaskovich gets another warning

Yauheny Vaskovich, who spent seven days in a punishment cell in early October, received another warning from the disciplinary commission of the penal colony in Mahilou. He wasn't however sent to a punishment cell, BelaPAN news agency reports.

29.10.2012 Letters to Mikalai Statkevich blocked

According to Leanid Haravy, activist of the For Freedom opposition movement, his letter to political prisoner Mikalai Statkevich did not reach the penal colony. The activist received a postcard saying that the “letter did not pass censorship”, instead.

29.10.2012 Documentary on death penalty presented in Mahiliou and Homel

The human rights documentary “Departed on Sentence” was presented by activists of the “Human Rights Defenders against the Death Penalty” on 26 October in Mahiliou.

29.10.2012 Human rights defenders assist in protecting right to safe working conditions

Mrs. Alena Naibarodzina, resident of the town of Drahichyn, Brest region, has applied for the assistance of local human rights defenders in protecting her rights in an incident that resulted in her disability.

29.10.2012 European Parliament Criticizes Minsk Over Elections

STRASBOURG, France -- The European Parliament has strongly criticized the recent parliamentary elections in Belarus, noting they failed to meet many basic democratic standards.

29.10.2012 Zmitser Dashkevich to stand new trial tomorrow

The court of Mozyr is expected to arrive in penal colony on October 30 to hold trial against a political prisoner. The Young Front leader may receive a more severe sentence, Belsat TV reports.

29.10.2012 Young Front activists detained in Miory

Two activists of the Young Front opposition movement were detained on 27 October in the town of Miory, Vitsebsk region, following the wedding ceremony of Young Front member Mikola Dzemidzenka.

29.10.2012 1863 Uprising Remembrance Day marred by detentions in Svislach

The traditional action to commemorate the heroes of the 1863 anti-Russian uprising in the town of Svislach, Hrodna region, was marred by the detention of a number of opposition activists.

29.10.2012 Brest left-wing activist appeals picket ban at UN Human Rights Committee

Having exhausted all domestic judicial remedies, Aliaksandr Dzenisenka, Brest activist of the Fair World United Left Party, has submitted a complaint to the UN Human Rights Committee, challenging a ban on holding a picket imposed by the city’s executive authorities.

29.10.2012 Leaders of the EU Member States: Call to release and rehabilitation of Statkevich and Dashkevich

Mass media and human rights defenders continually inform about repressions, which are used by the regime against civic activists, representatives of the opposition and independent journalists. The situation with political prisoners, who are still in prison and other institutions of confinement, is deteriorating as well. Two prisoners of conscience, 2010 presidential candidate Mikola Statkevich and the leader of “Young Front” Zmitser Dashkevich, are in an especially dramatic situation.

26.10.2012 Andrei Sannikau asks for political asylum in UK

The leader of European Belarus civic campaign, former presidential candidate and political prisoner claimed there was a threat of a rearrest.

26.10.2012 Brest: former parliamentary candidate’s complaints dismissed

Aliaksandr Melnik, former candidate for Parliament in Brest-based constituency No. 1, has received replies to his complaints of alleged election violations submitted to the Court and the Prosecutor’s Office of Leninski District.

26.10.2012 Sakharov prize awarded to Iranian human rights activists

The decision was taken unanimously. The European Parliament’s for Freedom of Thought prize was awarded to an Iranian human rights activist Nasrin Sotoudeh and her compatriot a film director Jafar Panahi.