The Human Rights Center “Viasna”

News for 22 Nov 2012

22.11.2012 Viasna invites you!

At 10 a.m. November 26, the office and property of the Human Rights Center “Viasna” will be seized. The bailiffs are expected to seal up the doors of the NGO that has provided assistance to the repressed for 12 years, hosted press-conferences on key human rights issues and numerous human rights events. This is the authorities’ way to mark one year since the sentencing of Viasna’s leader Ales Bialiatski to 4.5 years of imprisonment on November 24, 2011.

22.11.2012 Ales Kirkevich faces administrative charges

Minsk police interrogated today civil activist Ales Kirkevich over his involvement in the memorial action held in Svislach district on 27 October.

22.11.2012 Human rights defender who was expelled from Belarus last year included in human rights council under aegis of Russian president

Russian human rights defender Andrey Yurov, who was expelled from Belarus in March 2011, has become a member of the Council for Civil Society and Human Rights under the aegis of the President of Russia, BelaPAN said.

22.11.2012 European Belarus activists detained in Minsk

Two activists of the European Belarus opposition movement were detained this afternoon while handing out the printed version of the Charter97 web-site.

22.11.2012 UN Human Rights Committee rules in the case of Uladzislau Kavaliou

Mrs. Liubou Kavaliova, the mother of Uladzislau Kavaliou (Kovalev), executed for plotting and implementing a lethal blast in Minsk underground in April 2011, received the decision of the UN Human Rights Committee. The complaint was considered in less than a year. The Committee recognized that the investigation was conducted with numerous errors, Kavaliou was subjected to physical violence and forced to testify against himself, the court was not impartial and, most importantly, the right to life was violated.

22.11.2012 BAJ proposes Poczobut and Bialiatski for Index on Censorship 2013 Award

Each year, Index celebrates individuals and organisations from around the globe who have shown outstanding courage and creativity in safe-guarding free speech.

22.11.2012 Human rights defender Leanid Sudalenka fined 500,000 over tax charges

A fine of five basic units (500,000 rubles) was awarded on November 21 by the Tax Inspection of Savetski District of Homel to human rights defender Leanid Sudalenka, after he faced charges under Article 23.9 of the Administrative Code (“violation of procedures for the submission of the tax declaration”).