The Human Rights Center “Viasna”

News for January 2014

15.01.2014 Working Group of the Assembly of NGOs accepts new members and defines the main activity directions

Yesterday, on January 14, the Assembly’s Working Group meeting was held. Unanimously, three new organizations were admitted into the association. At the same time, the Working Group the Executive Bureau to revise the list of the regional offices of the Assembly’s members to exclude the ones that have stopped their activities. As for today, the Assembly unites over 300 NGOs.

15.01.2014 Vaclav Havel's ideas live on (photos)

January 14 in Minsk a memorial party in honor of the famous Czech dissident, human rights activist and the first president of the independent Czech Republic Vaclav Havel took place in Minsk.

14.01.2014 Zhodzina City Election Committee registered just six electoral teams

The observers note the extreme passiveness at the stage of registration of initiative groups for nomination of candidates for Zhodzina City Council of 27 convocation.

14.01.2014 Appeal against torture in Mahiliou penal colony filed with Mahiliou Regional Court

Minsker Liudmila Kuchura applied to Mahiliou Regional Court after the refusal of the Investigative Committee to examine the complaint about torture of her husband Piatro Kuchura in colony No. 15 in Mahiliou.

14.01.2014 Cassation appeal of Vasil Parfiankou to be considered January 28

May 29, 2012 Pershamaiski District Court of Minsk sentenced Vasil Parfiankou to six months of arrest under Art. 421 of the Criminal Code (breach of prophylactic supervision set by the court).

14.01.2014 Long break in trial in Astravets

January 13 held another hearing on the complaint of a civil society activist Mikalai Vlasevich against the actions of Astravets District Executive Committee, who didn't to allow him to hold a picket on December 7, 2013 under the slogan "Let's bring the corrupt to justice!" took place in Astravets.

14.01.2014 First six electoral teams registered in Baranavichy

A sitting of Baranavichy city territorial election commission took place January 13. the commission considered the documents for registration of initiative groups to collect signatures for nomination of candidates for Baranavichy City Council of Deputies. The election commission registered all six electoral teams, whose registration documents had been filed before the sitting.

14.01.2014 Vitsebsk human rights activist Piatro Ivanou threatened to be deported to Russia

Vitsebsk human rights activist and military pensioner Piatro Ivanou is threatened with being deported to Russia and demanded to submit an income statement. The department on citizenship and migration of Vitsebsk’s Kastrychnitski police department demands that the human rights activist Piotr Ivanou (in the picture) reported about the living expenses before 20 January. Otherwise they promise to deport him to Russia.

14.01.2014 UCP leader Anatol Liabedzka sentenced to a fine

10-05 a.m. At the entrance of the courthouse the police inspected the visitors' belongings and were reluctant to let anybody in without seeing a subpoena. About 20 people gathered in the courtroom. The case was considered by Judge Kiryl Polulekh. Anatol Liabedzka answered the questions in Belarusian.

14.01.2014 Brest City Executive Committee returns electorate to year 2010

The section "Elections-2014" of the official website of Brest City Executive Committee contains a link to the regulation determining the places where it is prohibited to hold pickets for collecting signatures for nomination of candidates for the upcoming local elections.

14.01.2014 Civil society activist summoned by his boss after filing documents for registration of electoral team

On January 10 Bialynichy democratic activists filed documents to the district and territorial election commissions for registration of initiative groups to collect signatures for nomination as candidates.

14.01.2014 Homel region: electoral pickets are allowed in unfrequented places

The executive committees of the Homel region have adopted regulations determining the places prohibited for holding pickets for nomination of candidates for the local elections. In particular, Homel City Executive Committee ruled that collecting signatures in support of the candidacies was prohibited at a distance less than 50 meters from the buildings of the executive committees, courts, prosecutors' offices, public transport stops, intersections, crosswalks and territories of organizations "providing defense, state security and daily life of the population".

14.01.2014 Ihar Alinevich: The best wish is be yourself

The political prisoner sent his mother a letter from Navapolatsk penal colony.

13.01.2014 Baranavichy activist Viktar Syrytsa appeals fine for Milavidy festival at Supreme Court

On January 13 social activist Viktar Syrytsa filed a complaint with the Supreme Court against the decision of Judge of the Baranavichy City and District Court Katsiaryna Hruda and Judge of the Brest Regional Court Natallia Surma on the case of Milavidy festival.