The Human Rights Center “Viasna”

News for 5 Jun 2013

05.06.2013 Vitsebsk Regional Court upholds dismissal of activist of Free Trade Union of Belarus

The judge turned down the appeal against the dismissal of the head of a unit of the independent trade union Viktar Stukau. He tried to appeal the ruling of the Polatsk City Court, which confirmed that his dismissal from the company "Polatsk-Glass" was done correctly.

05.06.2013 Question of non-implementation of UN decisions by Belarus and Russia raised at its 23rd session

On 5 June as a part of the 23rd session of the UN Human Rights Council the International Federation for Human Rights (FIDH) with the support of Human Rights Watch conducted a briefing on the non-fulfillment of UN resolutions by Belarus and Russia.

05.06.2013 Slonim: more than 800 signatures collected in support of medic Ivan Sheha

Civic activists are actively collecting signatures in favor of letting the Slonim trauma surgeon Ivan Sheha continue his work. At present they have more than 800 signatures, but plan to collect much more.

05.06.2013 Minsk police detain girl for hanging newspaper "Nash Dom"

The detention was carried out at about 3.30 p.m. on 5 June. As stated by the editor of "Vitsebski Kur'yer" Aleh Barshcheuski, Natallia Liavonava was detained for handing out the newspaper "Nash Dom".

05.06.2013 Orsha: inaction of authorities puts people's lives in danger

Danger to the lives of citizens of Orsha doesn't seem to worry the local officials too much. Such a conclusion can be drawn from the correspondence of the Orsha activists of the organizing committee of the Belarusian Christian Democracy with the traffic police, Ministry of Emergency Situations and bus fleet over the emergency state of a bridge.

Ministry of Foreign Affairs is asked about publication of the decision of the UN Committee on Elimination of Discrimination against Women

05.06.2013 Ministry of Foreign Affairs is asked about publication of the decision of the UN Committee on Elimination of Discrimination against Women

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Belarus is asked to tell where a decision of the UN Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women was published.

05.06.2013 Baranavichy: prosecutor's office turns into post office

Civic activist Viktar Syrytsa received a letter signed by the head of the police department of the Baranavichy Executive Committee V. Herasimovich. There it is stated that his complaint against the refusal of an officer of the police department, major Piatro Kulhavik, to sign a contract for guarding the 25 May picket, was concidered, but no "violations of discipline and the legal order order were found in the actions of officers of the Baranavichy City Police Department."

05.06.2013 Homel: court rejects lawsuit of human rights defender concerning exaction of moral damages from state budget

On 4 June the Tsentralny District Court of Homel in the name of judge Maryna Damnenka considered the civil case of human rights activist Leanid Sudalenka. The human rights defender filed a lawsuit against the Treasury to get a compensation for moral damage, which he estimates as equal to an MP's salary for four years at office.

05.06.2013 Aleh Hruzdzilovich presents books "Who blasted Minsk metro?"

At the presentation Belarusian civil society activists discussed the media coverage of high-profile criminal trials, the dangers for the journalists, and the methods by which the state is trying to change public opinion.