The Human Rights Center “Viasna”

News for October 2013

31.10.2013 Vitsebsk activists sue city executive committee

Having been refused a refusal on holding a march and a rally, coordinator of the Movement "For Freedom" of Vitsebsk region, Khrystafor Zhaliapau and activist of the organizing committee of the Social Democratic Party "Narodnaya Hramada" Aliaksei Haurutsikau filed a lawsuit with Kastrychnitski district court. The activists believe that by banning the events the officials violated the law and the rights of citizens to freely express their thoughts.

31.10.2013 Political prisoner Andrei Haidukou visited by family

Volha Haidukova, the mother of political prisoner Andrei Haidukou, visited her son during a long-term meeting at colony No. 19 in Mahiliou, Radio Racyja reports.

31.10.2013 Human rights activist Viktoryia Starastsenka dies in road accident in Minsk

Human rights activist Viktoryia Starastsenka, 25, died last morning after being hit by a truck. The accident occurred at about 8:50 a.m. in Karbyshau Street. The girl was crossing the roadway at an unregulated pedestrian crossing when she was hit by a truck moving at a speed of 90 kilometers per hour, udf.by reports.

31.10.2013 Human rights violations in Belarus discussed at UN side-event

On October 30, 2013 New York City hosted a side event at the UN General Assembly with the participation of the Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in Belarus, Mr. Miklos Haraszti, and the Belarusian and international human rights defenders: Valiantsin Stefanovich, deputy chairman of the Human Rights Center "Viasna", Zhanna Litvina, leader of Belarusian Association of Journalists, Sasha Koulaeva, head of FIDH’s Eastern Europe and Central Asia Desk.

30.10.2013 Homel Regional Court orders district court to consider complaint by local activist

The Civil Division of the Homel Regional Court considered yesterday an appeal filed by a civil society activist from the town of Kalinkavichy, Tamara Zaitsava.

30.10.2013 Salihorsk human rights defenders urge local officials to report on accessibility program

Representatives of the Belarusian Helsinki Committee in Salihorsk sent a letter to local authorities urging them to provide a report on the implementation of the program for the development of a barrier-free environment in the town’s educational institutions.

30.10.2013 Speech by FIDH President Karim Lahidji at Third Belarusian Human Rights Forum

The Third Forum of Belarusian human rights defenders that took place on 26-27 October in Vilnius and was opened by a welcome speech of the President of the FIDH, Karim Lahidji. Here is the full text of his speech.

30.10.2013 Restrictions on Dzmitry Miadvedz’s freedom expire today

Dzmitry Miadvedz, one of the defendants of the “rioting” case of 2010, is not involved in politics, nor is he related to political parties and movements, palitviazni.info reports.

30.10.2013 EU publishes updated blacklist of Belarusian individuals, entities

The Council of the European Union has published the names of Belarusian citizens and economic entities whose names were included in the EU's blacklist and removed from it on October 29, BelaPAN said.

30.10.2013 "Viasna": 10 years without registration

Human rights defender Uladzimir Labkovich remembers well October 28, 2003, when the Supreme Court put an end to the registration of "Viasna". How is it that the decision put an end to the activities of the human rights defenders?

30.10.2013 Court regards “standing along the sidewalk facing the street with red flowers in hands..." as picket

Judge Kamisarau of Minsk City Court dismissed a complaint filed by Siarhei Yaumenau against the decision in an administrative case which has already entered into force.

30.10.2013 Journalists detained in Minsk again

Independent journalists Alyaksandr Barazenka and Maria Artsybashava were detained on Tuesday near the Pershamaiskaya metro station in Minsk.

30.10.2013 Mahiliou court fines local pro-dem leader Yury Novikau

On October 29, Judge Alena Volkava of Leninski District Court of Mahiliou fined the chairman of the Mahiliou regional coalition of democratic forces Yury Novikau 5,850,000 rubles for distributing leaflets and collecting signatures against a Russian airbase in the territory of Belarus.

30.10.2013 Miklos Haraszti’s report on Belarus presented and discussed at the UN General Assembly in New York

On October 28, the UN General Assembly in New York hosted a presentation and interactive dialogue of national delegations on the report of the UN Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in Belarus, Miklos Haraszti.