The Human Rights Center “Viasna”

News for 6 Jan 2014

06.01.2014 Political activists gather signatures for the abolition of the car duty under a vigilant surveillance of the polie and security services

On 5 June the leader of the United Civil Party Anatol Liabedzka and the co-chairman of the campaign “For Fair Elections” Viktar Karniayenka gathered about 100 signatures for the abolition of the automobile duty and resignation of the government.

06.01.2014 Ales Bialiatski's “Englightened by Belarusian Issue” prohibited for improt in Belarus

In early January, a member of the Board of the Human Rights Centre "Viasna" Tatsiana Reviaka received a letter signed by the deputy chief of Ashmiany customs A. Datchuk, which states that the customs received from the General Directorate of ideological work, culture and youth affairs of Hrodna Regional Executive Committee a conclusion of the expert committee on the results of the examination of the book “Enlightened by the Belarusian Issue", written by human rights activist and political prisoner Ales Bialiatski. The text of the expert conclusion wasn't submitted to T. Reviaka, though she asked about it after being informed about sending the book for examination.

06.01.2014 Just one oppositionist include in a constituency election commission in Brest

All in all, 697 out of the proposed 772 candidates were included in the 57 constituency election commissions for the elections to Brest Regional Council.

06.01.2014 Record held in Hrodna: 60 election commissions established in 15 minutes

On 4 January 60 constituency election commissions for elections to the regional council were formed at a sitting of Hrodna Regional Executive Committee, chaired by its chairman Uladzimir Krautsou. 11 people were included in each commission. The procedure of forming the commissions took just 15 minutes. Of course, nobody discussed the candidacies of all 660 nominees to the commissions.

06.01.2014 State-owned newspaper accuses political parties of passiveness

The regional newspaper "Vitebskiye Vesti" summed up the forming of the territorial election commissions and told the readers that "the activity of political parties is barely visible", as far as “just 17 members of parties became members of the commissions, including 13 members of the , as party members, including 13 members of the Communist Party of Belarus”.

06.01.2014 Babruisk City Election Commission consists of “experienced members” as usual

The city election commission traditionally consists of officials, heads of enterprises and members of pro-governmental institutions. Most of them worked in the commission during the last election. As usual, the website of Babruisk City Executive Committee doesn't report the places of their work, and just mentions the affiliation of some of them with certain parties and organizations.

06.01.2014 Policeman takes explanations from Mikalai Charnavus

The individual entrepreneur and activist Mikalai Charnavus who works at the central cooperative market was visited by the local police inspector, who told him to give explanations concerning the anti-corruption picket held on 26 December.

06.01.2014 Vasil Parfiankou is kept in Zhodzina penitentiary

Former political prisoner Vasil Parfiankou is kept in the transit point of Zhodzina penitentiary, from which he will be transferred to Horki penitentiary.

06.01.2014 Trial of Aliaksandr Malchanau postponed to 9 December

On 4 January the first hearing in the case of preventive supervision for former political prisoner Aliaksandr Malchanau took place in the Barysau District Court .

06.01.2014 “Hazeta Slonimskaya” evicted from its premises

The staff have to move to a new office for the fourth time for 16 years of the newspaper's life.

06.01.2014 Statkevich's letter about protests in the Ukraine not let through by censorship

Political prisoner Mikalai Statkevich wrote his brother, who lives in Ukraine, about protests in Kyiv and the relations between Ukraine and Russia. But the letter didn't leave the prison in Mahiliou, where the former presidential candidate serves his term.

06.01.2014 Autukhovich's wife says her husband is provoked to violate the prison regime

After the last meeting with political prisoner Mikalai Autukhovich his wife Alena Autukhovich said that he was provoked to violate the prison regulations.