The Human Rights Center “Viasna”

News for May 2013

31.05.2013 European Humanities University to receive Atlantic Council Freedom Award

The European Humanities University (EHU) – the only Belarusian university that has succeeded in maintaining its academic freedom and independence in the face of enormous government pressure – has been named a recipient of an Atlantic Council Freedom Award. The award will be presented at a ceremony in Wroclaw, Poland on June 14th, informed BC Jurga Mečinskienė.

31.05.2013 Mahiliou court fails to punish official for insulting local social democrats

Today, on May 31, was the last day of the trial initiated by the Belarusian Social Democratic Party and its member Mikalai Zalozny, in particular. After four hearings, Leninski District Court of Mahiliou in the name of Judge Andrei Yurchanka said he could not identify the author of the slander of one of the oldest Belarusian political parties.

31.05.2013 Minsk City Court dismisses appeals by Radio Racyja reporters

Today the judge of the Minsk City Court Valer Kamisarau heard the appeal of two independent journalists Aliaksandr Yarashevich and Henadz Barbarych who were detained on April 27th after the Chernobyl Way demonstration and got three days’ arrest for disobeying police’s demands.

31.05.2013 Tell the Truth Belaaziorsk activist appeals warning under Art. 193.1

Aliaksandr Kuzmin, activist of the Tell the Truth civil campaign from the town of Belaaziorsk, Brest region, filed a complaint with the Regional Prosecutor’s Office to contest a warning he received for alleged illegal NGO membership.

31.05.2013 Parents visit political prisoner Alinevich

Ihar Alinevich, who serves sentence in penal colony No. 10 in Navapolatsk, was allowed a visit with his family. Charter97.org learnt it from his mother Valiantsina Alinevich.

31.05.2013 Pavel Vinahradau detained because of CIS summit

The activist of opposition has been detained for the second day in a row. Pavel Vinahradau wrote that on his Facebook account.

31.05.2013 Trial in Andrei Haidukou’s case scheduled for June 12

According to Andrei Haidukou’s relatives, the case will be heard at 10 a.m. on June 12 in Vitsebsk Regional Court with presiding Judge Halina Urbanovich.

30.05.2013 House of Representatives approves bill on political parties and NGOs

Members of the House of Representatives have adopted amendments to the laws relating to activity of political parties and NGOs. Deputy Minister of Justice Hanna Badak introduced the draft law and said the amendments would simplify the process of opening political parties and NGOs and fill gaps in the legal regulation of their activity.

30.05.2013 Prosecutor’s Office warns Belsat journalist

Journalist Volha Chaichyts received a written warning from the Prosecutor’s Office of Smaliavichy district for her work with the Poland-based Belsat TV channel, press service of the Belarusian Association of Journalists reports.

30.05.2013 State Bodies Reply to BAJ They Can Do Nothing About Arrests of Journalists

The Belarusian Association of Journalists addressed to the Ministry of Justice, the Ministry of Home Affairs, the General Prosecutor’s Office and the Investigative Committee, asking to take actions in the cases of the recent arrests of Dzmitry Halko and Aliaksandr Yarashevich.

30.05.2013 Andrei Haidukou’s mother: Trial should be open

Reports say that it is Vitsebsk Regional Court who is expected to hear the case of Andrei Haidukou, a 23-year-old employee of the Navapolatsk-based “Naftan” refinery, who is accused of “high treason”. Volha Haidukova, his mother, hopes that the trial will open for all to learn the details of the case. After all, the espionage charges brought against the Navapolatsk guy seem absurd to many.

30.05.2013 Joint statement of BHC and Viasna on Andrei Haidukou’s case

Human rights defenders call upon the authorities to provide for an open trial, during which all persons concerned could assess the validity of the charges and the legality of the prosecution and the trial.

30.05.2013 Free Trade Union of Metal Industry Workers demands to stop discrimination and harassment of its activists

The Free Trade Union of Metal Industry Workers released a statement urging the authorities to put an end to discriminating against employees on the grounds of trade union membership, to reestablish the constitutional right to freedom of association in trade unions and to provide administrative or criminal liability of employers and other authorities for discrimination against workers. The statement was adopted by the Trade Union’s Board on May 26.

29.05.2013 Mikalai Statkevich warns about new provocations

Prison authorities make new attempts to force a political prisoner to apply for a pardon. Charter97.org has learnt it from Statkevich's wife Maryna Adamovich.

29.05.2013 Independent journalists summoned to Prosecutor’s Office

Members of the NGO “Belarusian Association of Journalists”, Volha Chaychyts and Ales Silich, are required to appear in Smaliavichy district Prosecutor’s Office on Thursday, May 30, press service of the Belarusian Association of Journalists reports.