The Human Rights Center “Viasna”

News for January 2014

17.01.2014 Liabedzka not allowed to Minsk city council

UCP leader Anatol Liabedzka failed to register his initiative group.

17.01.2014 Zhodzina City Election Commission guided by Executive Committee

Zhodzina City Election Commission traditionally occupies in the building of local executive committee. Despite the fact that election commissions are supposed to be independent and act independently of the authorities, the electoral commission in Zhodzina is completely controlled by the executive.

17.01.2014 Ales Bialiatski nominated for Nobel Peace Prize

The prominent Belarusian human rights activist has been nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize for the third time.

17.01.2014 Supreme Court: Justice transparency possible without limiting procedural rights

The Supreme Court issued a Resolution of its Plenum under No. 11 entitled “On ensuring transparency in the administration of justice and access to information about the activities of the courts", adopted on December 20, 2013.

16.01.2014 Belarus near bottom in Index of Economic Freedom

Belarus was ranked 150th among 177 countries in this year`s Index of Economic Freedom.

16.01.2014 Chairman of Homel Regional Court amazes with illiteracy

Mazyr human rights activist Uladzimir Tseliapun received a reply to his appeal from the Chairman of the Homel Regional Court Siarhei Shautsou. In December 2013, the chairman of the court received citizens in Mazyr, and the local human rights activist asked him some important questions.

15.01.2014 Bialynichy authorities registered 22 electoral teams

In the evening of January 14 the meetings of the Bialynichy constituency election commission No. 1 on elections for the Mahiliou Regional Council of 27 Convocation and the Bialynichy District Election Commission on elections for the Bialynichy District Council took place.

15.01.2014 41 electoral teams registered in Mahiliou

Mahiliou City Election Commission registered the initiative groups of all pretenders for candidates who intend to get nominated for the elections by collecting electors' signatures.

15.01.2014 Review-Chronicle of Human Rights Violations in Belarus in December 2013

The last month of 2013 did not bring changes in the overall human rights situation – it remained consistently bad. The negative trends that have been formed and retained throughout the year, persisted, including lack of political will of the Belarusian authorities in solving the problem of political prisoners, severe restrictions on freedom of expression, freedom of assembly and other civil and political rights, ignoring calls for the abolition or a moratorium on the death penalty. The authorities recognized having secretly issued another death sentence in November.

15.01.2014 “Backawscyna” and Belarusian Language Socitety are deprived of rent preferences

In Belarus, there are about 3,000 non-governmental organizations. Until recently, significant benefits for the rental of premises (90 % discount) were given to 451 organizations. This year's list of the lucky ones was drastically reduced. The list of beneficiaries is composed after consultation with the president.

15.01.2014 Yauhen Vaskovich has served 247 days in penal cell

Executive secretary of the organizing committee of the party "Belarusian Christian Democracy Dzianis Sadouski said told the press service of the BCD on the situation of a political prisoner, member of the BCD Yauhen Vaskovich, who is under strongly pressurized by the administratioon of prison No. 4 in Mahiliou.

15.01.2014 Chair of the Brest Regional Court upholds the picket ban

Chairperson of the Brest Regional Court Tamara Suchok did not satisfy the lawsuit of Biaroza human rigths defenders against the ban on the picket they intended to hold on August 4 to support political prisoners, and left the prior verdict of the Biaroza District Court and the panel of judges of the Brest Regional Court unchanged.

15.01.2014 Democratic activists intend to run for the local councils in Bykhau, Kruhlaye and Shklou

January 14 Mikalai Kucharenka filed documents for registration of the initiative group to collect signatures for his nomination as a candidate for the Mahiliou Regional Council of 27 Convocation in Shklou town constituency No. 57. Mr. Kucharenka is a well-known regional ethnographer, former professional soldier, positioning himself as an independent pretender.

15.01.2014 Biaroza human rights activists congratulated by Mikalai Autukhovich, Ales Bialiatski and Mikalai Statkevich

During the holidays, the political prisoners took the time to answer the congratulations of Biaroza human rights defenders and civil society activists.

15.01.2014 Mass resignation of nursery school teachers in Hrodna

Salaries of nursery school teachers dropped to 2 million rubles (about $208). Former nursery schools earlier owned by Azot enterprise will be financed from the municipal budget starting 2014. Nursery school teachers began to file resignation letters, RFE/RL reports.