The Human Rights Center “Viasna”

News for 22 Nov 2013

22.11.2013 Homel activist challenges refusal to institute proceedings against road police

Homel civil society activist Uladzimir Katsora addressed today Rechytsa District Court with a complaint against the district department of the Investigative Committee. The activist appeals against a refusal to institute criminal proceedings.

22.11.2013 Investigation Committee check journalists’ detention incident

The check up has been caused by the events of October 19, 2013.

22.11.2013 Sweden: 103 years without the death penalty

On November 23, Sweden marks 103 years since the last execution of a death sentence took place. The last execution in Sweden was enforced on November 23, 1910, when Johan Alfred Ander was beheaded by guillotine, after being sentenced to death for the murder of a 24-year-old cashier during a robbery in a shop in Stockholm.

22.11.2013 Zmitser Vaitsiushkevich’s concert banned in Polatsk

Polatsk authorities banned a concert of Zmitser Vaitsiushkevich. The concert was to be held in local Center of Crafts and National Cultures and was initially agreed with the head of the ideology department of the executive committee However, on the eve of the concert the executive committee received a call from the regional authorities and the concert was banned.

22.11.2013 Bykhau authorities urged to select places for public events

Chairman of BPF’s Bykhau office, writer Siarhei Antonau filed yesterday a written request to the local executive committee Chairman Dzmitry Kaleyeu. The appeal asks the official to determine places for pickets in the town.

22.11.2013 Administrative commission punishes activist of “swine revolt”

The administrative commission of Biaroza district executive committee, which on November 20 re-examined the case of Aliaksandr Alikhver, punished him with a fine of 1.3 million rubles for keeping pigs within a 5-km zone of 2 small government pig farms hit by the recent epidemic.

22.11.2013 Baranavichy trade union activist to pay insurance fee in lawsuit by Interior Ministry

The court of the district and the city of Baranavichy heard yesterday the case of local trade union activist Aliaksandr Vaitseshyk and ruled, as a result, to recover insurance payments in favor of the Ministry of Internal Affairs in the amount of 175 thousand rubles. The case was considered by Judge Vera Utlik. The lawsuit against the activist was filed by the Baranavichy interdistrict Prosecutor’s Office. The claim stemmed from a previous conviction of the activist over allegedly beating a police officer.