The Human Rights Center “Viasna”

News for April 2013

30.04.2013 FIDH and Viasna demand that charges dropped against those convicted after Chernobyl Way March

FIDH and the Human Rights Center “Viasna” demand that charges against six people, including two journalists, one human rights defender and one activist, be dropped in relation to their engagement in this years annual commemoration of the Chernobyl nuclear accident.

30.04.2013 Viasna joins campaign of solidarity with Russia’s civil society

If challenging times are coming to Russia now, it is the time to pay attention to it, to support civil society groups and activists of Russia, to come together and to prove that the international civil society is alive and common values are more important for it than the borders between our countries.

30.04.2013 Kalinkavichy UCP activist accused of starting fight

Dzianis Rabianok, activists of the United Civil Party of the town of Kalinkavichy, is facing charges under Article 9.1 of the Administrative Code, “intentional infliction of bodily injury, not entailing short-term loss of health.” Now the activist faces a fine of 10 to 30 basic units (1-3 mln rubles) or an administrative arrest.

30.04.2013 Organising committee of Chernobyl Way rally: It was abduction of demonstrators

Members of the organising committee for holding the Chernobyl Way rally had a press conference in Minsk. The website charter97.org has learnt it from Vital Rymasheuski, a co-head of the organising committee to found the Belarusian Christian Democracy party (BCD).

30.04.2013 Woman complained by phone and got fired after voice detection

It happened during “a hot line” with the head of Hrodna Province Executive Committee in March.

30.04.2013 Minsk authorities ban May Day rally

Minsk city executive committee dismissed an application of the Belarusian Congress of Democratic Trade Unions (BCDTU) asking for permission to hold a rally in support of workers’ rights on 1 May, bdkp.org reports.

30.04.2013 Reporters Without Borders: Authorities try to suppress coverage of anti-nuke demos

Reporters Without Borders condemns the arrests of at least six journalists on 26 April while they were covering anti-nuclear marches that environmentalists and opposition activists organize each year on the anniversary of the Chernobyl nuclear disaster.

30.04.2013 Vitsebsk activists summoned to police over “Chernobyl picket”

Yan Dziarzhautsau, member of the Conservative Christian Party BPF, received a summons saying he should appear at Kastrychnitski police department of Vitsebsk on April 30 to provide explanations about the picket he had staged to mark the anniversary of the Chernobyl disaster, along with another CCP-BPF member Vital Kavalenka, brother of the famous activist Siarhei Kavalenka.

30.04.2013 Andrei Haidukou’s case may reach court soon

The suspect in the “spying” case Andrei Haidukou has been studying the case file, his mother Volha told to the website charter97.org.

30.04.2013 Belsat TV denied accreditation again

The Belarusian Ministry of Foreign Affairs refused to accredit the Poland-based Belsat TV channel, referring to repeated offences by the channel’s journalists while working in Belarus, www.belsat.eu said on Monday.

30.04.2013 April 30 — International Day of Solidarity with Russian Civil Society

Nowadays Russian and international civil society face a great challenge. Russian civil society needs our help and international solidarity!

29.04.2013 Unknown people enter Minsk office of Radio Racyja

Unidentified people entered the office of Radio Racyja, a Polish-based radio station, in Minsk at the end of last week.

29.04.2013 Tatsiana Novikava: Authorities went berserk ahead of Chernobyl Way rally

The Belarusian authorities are afraid of the topic of Chernobyl and Astravets. Tatsiana Novikava, a coordinator of the Belarusian anti-nuclear campaign, said it in her comment to charter97.org on mass detentions of ecological activists ahead of the Chernobyl Way rally.

29.04.2013 Minsk court convicts participants of Chernobyl Way march, journalists

Minsk Savetski District Court heard today administrative charges brought against six persons detained during and following Chernobyl Way memorial demonstration on Friday, including two journalists of Radio Racyja Henadz Barbarych and Aliaksandr Yarashevich, as well as human rights defender Viachaslau Dashkevich.