The Human Rights Center “Viasna”

News for August 2013

26.08.2013 Echoes of story in Pinsk market: vendors punished, policemen get away

The police officers who brutally performed on July 7 the "cleansing" of street vendors near the mini market Zakhodni in Pinsk were acting in accordance with the law, but were "tactically illiterate."

26.08.2013 Flash mob against death penalty in Zurich

Zurich activists of Amnesty International staged on Saturday a flash mob against the death penalty in Belarus. In one of the main streets of the Swiss city the activists and human rights defenders placed dozens of symbolic tombstones with inscriptions about the death penalty in Belarus and the recent death verdict for Ryhor Yuzepchuk.

26.08.2013 Over 100 participants of rock festival detained in Vileika district

According to a policeman on duty, the young people were detained for administrative offenses, however not specifying the exact charges.

26.08.2013 Police raid Minsk office of “Tell the Truth!” movement

About 30 activists of the “Tell the Truth!” movement were rounded up in a police raid on the movement’s Minsk office on the Saturday morning. All of them were released without charges after they spent more than three hours at a police station.

26.08.2013 Belapan cameraman detained briefly in Minsk

Cameraman Vasil Siamashka was detained at 1630 near Kastrychnitski police station in Minsk when on editorial assignment.

23.08.2013 Pavel Sapielka: Forced psychiatry may become punitive instrument

The authorities may use forced mental treatment for fighting dissent. Such an opinion came from a former counsel, a human rights activist Pavel Sapielka as he commented for the charter97.org web-site on the forced treatment of a doctor Ihar Pastnou from Viciebsk in a mental hospital.

23.08.2013 Vitsebsk resident seeks protection from UN Special Rapporteur

Vitsebsk resident Pyotr Ivanov sent a complaint against the officers of the government of the Republic of Belarus to the office of Mrs. Margaret Sekaggya, the United Nations Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights defenders. He asks to recognize that the officials acted against him, as a human rights defender, in an unacceptable manner that is contrary to the spirit and letter of the Declaration on the Right and Responsibility of Individuals, Groups and Organs of Society to Promote and Protect Universally Recognized Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms.

23.08.2013 Seven members of Rada of Belarusian Intelligentsia apply for release of Catholic priest Uladzislaw Lazar

Seven members of the Rada (Council) of the Belarusian Intelligentsia have applied for the release of arrested Roman Catholic priest Uladzislaw Lazar against their personal guarantees that he would not flee from prosecution.

23.08.2013 Activist Uladzimir Yaromenak faces another trial

Uladzimir Yaromenak, activist of the youth organization "Young Front", will stand another trial on 28 August. This time he is facing administrative charges. The activist is once again accused of violating preventive supervision rules (Part 2, Article 24.12 of the Administrative Code). Uladzimir Yaromenak learned this from a summons issued by the court of Minsk Pershamaiski district.

22.08.2013 Court orders compulsory treatment of Ihar Pastnou

According to the Law on the provision of mental health care, the duty of doctors is to explain to the patient his rights, including the right to legal and judicial assistance. However, the court of Vitsebsk district, which ruled yesterday to apply compulsory treatment to former doctor Ihar Pastnou, did not bring him to the courtroom, nor was the trial attended by a lawyer.

22.08.2013 National Bolshevik activists fined over protests against military conscription

The Court of Minsk’s Tsentralny district resumed hearing the charges brought against activists of the National Bolshevik movement, Yauhen Kontush and Dzmitry Paliyenka, under Article 23.34 of the Administrative Code (violation of the order of organizing and holding mass events). On August 8, the Court sent their administrative cases back for revision.

22.08.2013 Mikalai Statkevich starts getting letters and greetings

Political prisoner and former presidential candidate Mikalai Statkevich finally started receiving birthday greetings and other letters, says the politician's wife Maryna Adamovich. Previously, the messages were almost completely blocked by the administration of the Mahiliou prison No. 4, Radio Racyja reports.

22.08.2013 Political prisoner Prakapenka can receive food parcels

The administration of penal colony No. 15 in Mahiliou lifted a ban on food parcels for Artsiom Prakapenka, says his father Anatol Prakapenka, as quoted by the Nasha Niva newspaper.

22.08.2013 Appeals by Viasna human rights defenders to be considered on 27 and 31 August

Appeals of human rights defenders representing the Human Rights Center "Viasna", Tatsiana Reviaka and Uladzimir Labkovich, against the verdict of the Savetski District Court of Minsk are expected to be considered by the Minsk City Court on 27 August and 31 August, respectively. The human rights defenders are appealing a fine of 3 million rubles each for alleged violating the Code on Administrative Offences (Art. 23.34 – “illegal picketing”).

22.08.2013 Vitsebsk court conceals decision on compulsory treatment of Ihar Pastnou

The court of Vitsebsk district considered yesterday the possibility of forced psychiatric treatment of local doctor Ihar Pastnou, who publicly expressed his critical perception of health care in the region. As a result, the court's findings remain a mystery, but Ihar Pastnou still cannot be contacted. There is reason to believe that he has not been released from mental hospital.