The Human Rights Center “Viasna”

News for January 2014

13.01.2014 Expert: System of confinement of juvenile offenders requires close attention

As part of a campaign of monitoring places of detention in Belarus, lawyer Pavel Sapelka highlights conditions in juvenile correctional educational and medical institutions, and the reception centers for minors.

13.01.2014 Amnesty International takes urgent action in support of Eduard Lykau, another man sentenced to death in Belarus

A 53 year-old man, Eduard Lykau, was sentenced to death on 26 November, but the information was only released almost a month later. He was the fourth person to receive the death sentence in 2013.

13.01.2014 Belarusian authorities deny visa to Petruska Sustrova

Former Czech dissident Petruska Shustrova was invited to Minsk for a party in the memory of former Czech President Vaclav Havel. However, the Belarusian Embassy in Prague denied her a visa by putting the appropriate stamp in the passport.

13.01.2014 Unidentified persons damaged lock on the entrance door of film director Volha Mikalaichyk

Volha Mikalaichyk learned about the incident in the night of January 10, on her return from Kyiv. The woman doesn't rule out that the incident can be connected with her trip to Ukraine and speech at the Euro-Maydan.

13.01.2014 Standard restrictions on signature pickets imposed all over Vitsebsk region

By its regulation No. 6 for January 9 the Orsha District Executive Committee identified places where it was prohibited to collect signatures for nomination of candidates. Moreover, there is a special annex to the regulation, which is hard to find at the website of the executive committee, whereas the regulation itself does not mention any place of urban infrastructure.

13.01.2014 Pinsk BCD coordinator gets warned

Pinsk coordinator of the Organizational Committee for Creation of the Party Belarusian Christian Democracy SiarheiSukhavierkhi was officially warned by prosecutor’s office against acting “on behalf of an unregistered organization”, BCD’s press-service reports.

13.01.2014 Political prisoner Uladzimir Yaromenak not allowed making fir tree of plastic bags

Uladzimir Yaromenak told about the conditions in the jail in Baranavichy.

13.01.2014 Zhodzina City Executive Committee determines places banned for signatures pickets

The regulation of the executive committee is quite similar to a similar regulation adopted during the parliamentary elections of 2012. The list of the placed banned for holding pickets for collecting signatures for nomination of candidates for the local councils hasn't been extended.

13.01.2014 Brest Regional Court dismisses the appeal on Vital Koush's case

January 10 the verdict against a resident of Brest region Vital Koush, sentenced to four years imprisonment with confiscation of property for organizing illegal migration, came into force.

13.01.2014 Constituency election commissions of Shklou headed by state officials and heads of enterprises

Two constituency commissions for the elections to the Mahiliou Regional Council of the 27th Convocation have been established on the territory of the Shklou disitrct, each consisting of 11 members.

13.01.2014 Picket against police violence banned in Vitsebsk

January 12 such an action was to have been held by the well-known psychiatrist Ihar Pastnou. He believes that the issue of the people prone to violence and sadism working in the police is very relevant today. However, his bid for the picket was dismissed by the Vitsebsk Kastrychnitski District Executive Committee.

13.01.2014 Salihorsk authorities show quite a liberal approach in determining the places for signature pickets

Salihorsk District Executive Committee determined the places forbidden for pickets to collect voters' signatures. The local human rights activists regard the relevant regulation as quite liberal, taking into account the current severe restrictions on such activities in the period between elections.

13.01.2014 Mahiliou democrats bid for a rally against new taxes

The initiators of the rally are Chairman of the Mahiliou regional branch of BPF "Adradzhenne" Dzmitry Salauyou, Chairman of the Mahiliou regional branch of the United Civil Party Uladzimir Shantsau and Deputy Chairman of the Free Trade Union of Belarus Yury Novikau.

13.01.2014 Anatol Liabedzka: detained, punched in kidneys and taken to Kurapaty

The leader of the United Civil Party spent seven hours at a police station. He was detained in the morning on January 12 and set free only at 6 p.m. He was taken outside Minsk. Policemen took the politician to Kurapaty memorial area and then to the city crematory. Only after that he was set free in the city district Viasnianka, close to his home.

13.01.2014 Historian Ina Sorkina dismissed from Hrodna State University

Another staff member of Yanka Kupala Hrodna University faced dismissal. The faculty council didn't reelect Ina Sorkina, PhD in History, as associate professor, RFE/RL reports. Sorkina had 15 votes against and 8 votes in favor after secret ballot.