The Human Rights Center “Viasna”

News for February 2013

26.02.2013 Tax raid on BHC

Tax officers visited the office of the Belarusian Helsinki Committee without warning today. They handed in an order of seizure and/or distress of property and a notification on measures to detect the payer's property to committee head Aleh Hulak, the BHC press service reports.

25.02.2013 Minsk court convicts youth activists

Minsk Tsentralny District Court convicted today eight members of the European Action movement detained yesterday outside Minsk Arena.

25.02.2013 Vitsebsk pro-dem activist Yan Dziarzhautsau sues city executive authorities over impossible decree

Yan Dziarzhautsau, member of the Conservative Christian Party “Belarusian Popular Front”, keeps fighting for the right to express his views during pickets and other mass events. The order of these events is regulated by Decision No. 881 by Vitsebsk city executive committee. The opposition activist tried to sue the city’s utilities, an organization that, in his opinion, violates the decision of the executive committee and hinders the implementation of the right to freedom of expression.

25.02.2013 Former political prisoner Mikita Likhavid gets extra term for December 2010 events

Representatives of Minsk Pershamaiski District Police Department demand that former political prisoner Mikita Likhavid gets an additional 10 days of administrative arrest for participation in the post-election protest back on December 19, 2010, Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty reports.

25.02.2013 Aliaksandr Frantskevich in punishment cell again

Political prisoner Aliaksandr Frantskevich has been placed in solitary confinement, Radio Racyja reports quoting his mother Mrs. Tatsiana Frantskevich.

25.02.2013 BCD website blocked

The website of the Belarusian Christian Democracy party has been blocked for Belarusian Internet users since 24 February, the BCD press-service reports.

25.02.2013 Another Granit’s trade union activist faces the threat of being fired

The administration of Granit undertook a new attack on the members of the independent trade union.

25.02.2013 CPJ: Belarusian Authorities Must Stop Harassing Irina Khalip

New York, February 19, 2013--Belarusian authorities must stop harassing Irina Khalip and trying to force the prominent Novaya Gazeta reporter into exile, the Committee to Protect Journalists said in a statement today.

25.02.2013 Police arbitrariness in residence hall of Minsk Linguistic University

Policemen burst into rooms in a residence hall and made students remove “wrong” posters and stickers.

25.02.2013 Hrodna Regional Court “steadfast”

Yury Hlebik, civil activist from the town of Svislach, Hrodna region, received a reply to his complaint from the chairman of Hrodna Regional Court in connection with the imposition of an administrative fine for taking part in the celebration of the 1863 Uprising Memorial Day on October 27, 2012.

25.02.2013 Six months wasted for Minsk Regional Court takes to rule in Young Front activist’s case

Andrei Tychyna, Salihorsk activists of the Young Front opposition movement, has finally received a ruling by Minsk Regional Court, six months after he submitted his appeal to challenge a ban on holding a bike ride. It wasn’t until the case was addressed by representatives of the central office of the Belarusian Helsinki Committee that the struggle of the young opposition activist with the judicial bureaucracy had been put an end to.

25.02.2013 Youth activists detained in Minsk

Several activists of the European Action movement were detained last afternoon in Minsk.

23.02.2013 UN launches worldwide campaign to support journalists

On February 22, the United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon called for the safety of journalists and announced the launch of a grassroots campaign “A Day Without News.” The campaign aims at drawing attention to the journalists who have been intimidated, arrested and prosecuted, the UN News Centre reports.

22.02.2013 Human rights defenders release annual survey of freedom of association in Belarus

The Assembly of Pro-Democratic NGOs and the Legal Transformation Center released yesterday the annual review entitled “Freedom of Association and the Legal Status of Non-Profit Organizations in Belarus”.

22.02.2013 Participant of 2010 post-election protest Andrei Pazniak released from punishment

Frunzenski District Court of Minsk ruled yesterday to release from punishment Andrei Pazniak, participant of the December 19, 2010 post-election protest. On May 26, 2011 Minsk Leninski District Court sentenced him to three years of suspended compulsory labor. Later the sentence was changed to correctional labor, withholding 15% of his salary.