The Human Rights Center “Viasna”

News for July 2013

26.07.2013 Uladzimir Labkovich: KGB has long stopped taking care of national security

The state security committee (KGB) deals exceptionally with political persecution.

26.07.2013 Tell the Truth activist arrested for 10 days

Vital Vasilkou, activist of the Tell the Truth civic campaign, is at the jail in Akrescina Street.

26.07.2013 Activist Pavel Vinahradau found in Maskouski district police department

Leader of Zmiena youth pressure group Pavel Vinahradau spent almost six hours in a police station for 'preventive conversation'.

26.07.2013 Young Front member sent to guardhouse for 7 days

Mihas Muski has been accused of disobedience in the army. Muski’s colleagues found it out when they phoned the garrison prison.

25.07.2013 Police detain independent journalist “by mistake”

A correspondent of Belorusy i Rynok newspaper was detained by mistake after the trial in Uladzimir Niakliaeu's case.

25.07.2013 Picket against Russian military base banned due to pedestrians

The Minsk city executive committee decline the BPF party's application for holding a picket against setting up a Russian military base in Belarus.

25.07.2013 Vitsebsk authorities ban 3 pickets on Independence Day

Vitsebsk pro-democratic activists Khrystafor Zhaliapau and Aliaksei Haurutsikau were going to mark the anniversary of the proclamation of the Declaration of Sovereignty of Belarus with a picket of solidarity with political prisoners. However, the event was banned by Pershamaiski district administration.

25.07.2013 Parents of Artsiom Prakapenka got permission to see their son

Parents of Artsiom Prakapenka are preparing for a short meeting with their son. On Saturday, activist serving a prison sentence celebrates his 23 birthday. Relatives are going to wish him a happy birthday.

25.07.2013 Prison censorship does not pass letters to Mikalai Autukhovich

Not all the letters from freedom reach Mikalai Autukhovich in the prison number 1 in Hrodna.

25.07.2013 Uladzimir Niakliayeu: "The trial was arranged over my head"

Leninski District Court of Minsk was scheduled to consider today the case of the former presidential candidate, leader of the civil campaign "Tell the Truth", poet Uladzimir Niakliayeu, who was expected to be released from serving a sentence of two years imprisonment suspended for 2 years under Par. 1, Art. 342 of the Criminal Code (organization of activities that breach public order, or participating in them).

24.07.2013 Congress of Belarusian expatriates demand release of political prisoners

The delegates of the 6th Congress of Belarusians of the World that opened in Minsk on July 23 under the auspices of the International Public Organization “Batskaushchyna” (“Fatherland”) called on the Belarusian authorities to release political prisoners, the BelaPAN news agency reports.

24.07.2013 Lukashenka gives more power to KGB

The KGB will examine samples of special equipment for surreptitious access to information.

24.07.2013 Belarusian Social Democratic Party activist in Mahiliou appeals inaction by prosecuting authorities

Mikalai Zalozny, member of the Belarusian Social Democratic Party (Hramada), filed a complaint to the Prosecutor of Mahiliou region to complain about local prosecuting officials. The activist argues that the officials have failed to address a number of facts of corruption and abuse of power by his former boss, chief of the Mahiliouablselbud dormitory system Pavel Shyshou.

24.07.2013 Yauhen Basareuski: "Three years of harassment ruined my health"

Yauhen Basareuski, a member of the party "Fair World" from the town of Zhlobin, shared his thoughts on the non-guilty verdict that was handed down to him and his former colleague Valiantsina Kastsiukevich by the District Court on July 19.

24.07.2013 Ales, imprisoned for the past two years: join us!

August 4, 2013 will mark a sad anniversary. Ales Bialiatski has been in jail for two years. Two years behind bars for defending human rights in his home country, Belarus. Ales keeps his hopes up. And despite the forced daily work, he writes a lot. His colleagues published his writings on prison literature in Belarus. And he is currently working on a second book on the human rigts movement in his country. On August 4, we will be alongside Ales. The Belarusian government must know it!