The Human Rights Center “Viasna”

News for 13 Dec 2013

13.12.2013 Bialynichy District Court turns down Valery Vusik's lawsuit

On 12 December the Bialynichy District Court considered the lawsuit of the social activist Valery Vysik against the Ministry of Finances of the Republic of Belarus and the Bialynichy District Police Department seeking the reimbursement of the state fees and the cost of the lawyer's services in his administrative case.

13.12.2013 Brest authorities ban “Tuzin.Nemaulia” concert

After weeks of negotiations, the deputy head of the Brest City Executive Committee Henadz Barysiuk and the head of its ideological department, Ala Starykevich, banned ta concert of the project “Tuzin.Nemaulia”.

13.12.2013 House of Representatives will not apply to the Constitutional Court concerning discrimination of Belarusian-speaking citizens

At the end of November, human rights activist Valiantsin Stefanovich applied to the Constitutional Court to determine the compatibility of Article 7 of the Law “On Languages” and Article 54 of the Law “On Normative Legal Acts” with the Constitution. He also applied to the Chamber of Representatives, the Council of the Republic, the Supreme Court, the Supreme Economic Court, the Council of Ministers and the President – all those who have the right to submit inquiries to the Constitutional Court on the conformity of laws with the Constitution.

13.12.2013 Mikalai Ulasevich filed an application for a picket in support of Ukrainian protesters

Activist from the village of Varniany Mikalai Ulasevich has applied to the Astravets District executive Committee, asking to let him hold a picket in Astravets. By this action Mr. Ulasevich intends to express his solidarity with the Ukrainian people in its aspiration to live in the European Union.

13.12.2013 Hrodna Regional Court turns down Ales Masiuk's appeal

On 11 December Hrodna Regional Court turned down the appeal of the social activist Ales Masiuk against a verdict of Slonim District Court. In September 2013, Mr. Masiuk applied to Slonim District Executive Committee asking to authorize a picket, which he intended to hold on 29 Septemmber to defend the right of citizens to subscribe to the independent newspaper “Hazeta Slonimskay

13.12.2013 Illia Dabratvor got fined

On 12 December Viktoryia Shabunia, Judge of the Tsentralny District Court of Minsk, sentenced Illia Dabratvor, an activist of the socilidarity movement "Together" to pay a fine of 8 basic units for holding a picket of solidarity with Kyiv protesters near the Ukrainian Embassy in Minsk.

13.12.2013 'Human Rights in Belarus’: "We are still trying to support the people and the civil society in Belarus"

The Association ‘Human Rights in Belarus’ (Menschenrechte in Belarus) published its 2013 Strategy Paper on the situation in Belarus and recommendations for active measures to be taken by the European Union and its Member States.