The Human Rights Center “Viasna”

News for 3 Feb 2014

03.02.2014 Campaign “Human Rights Defenders against Death Penalty in Belarus” marks its fifth anniversary

The campaign "Human Rights Defenders against Death Penalty in Belarus" was formed in early 2009, and the fifth anniversary initiative is an occasion to make some conclusions. What has been done and what can be done to achieve more? The achievements of the initiative and the difficulties faced by the human rights defenders over the years, are revealed in the conversation with the coordinator Andrei Paluda.

03.02.2014 Electoral picket of Maryna Khomich attacked by people in mufti

Unidentified people hinder the picket of the speaker of the Belarusian Christian Democracy, leader of the organizing committee of the public association “Young Christian Democracy” Maryna Khomich.

03.02.2014 Food Not Bombs – Bone in Police's Throat

On the eve of the World Hockey Championship in 2014, which will be held in Minsk , the authorities are trying to suppress any grassroots initiatives and clean the streets from anyone who spoils the "image" of a prosperous and socially oriented state.

03.02.2014 Policeman threatens to pinion participants of BCD rally and take them to woods

The incident took place on Sunday near Belarus supermarket, where a member of Zavadski district’s electoral commission Volha Kryzhanouskaja together with policemen (the surname of one of them was Bobryk) demanded to stop a rally collecting signatures for nominating a candidate for municipal elections from the party Belarusian Christian Democracy.

03.02.2014 Four people arrested at shooting of pro-Lukashenka film

People were detained for chanting “Long live Belarus!” and speaking to extras. A young man shouted “Long live Belarus!” on Nezalezhnasts Avenue during the filming of scenes for the propaganda movie “Abel”. He was detained by security officers.

Homel: Uladzimir Siakerka tries to find out whether the rally of pro-government communists and BRYU was permitted by the local authorities

03.02.2014 Homel: Uladzimir Siakerka tries to find out whether the rally of pro-government communists and BRYU was permitted by the local authorities

February 2 Chairman of the Homel regional branch of the Belarusian Leftist Party "Fair World" Uladzimir Siakerka sent electronic appeal to Chairman of Homel City Executive Committee Piatro Kirychenka. Mr. Siakerka was outraged at receiving no response from the executive committee to his appeal of November 21, 2013, which is a violation of the law "On Appeals of Citizens and Legal Entities". The politician demands to be given an answer according to the law.

03.02.2014 MP says requirement to report to electorate is absurd

Chairman of the Brest City Council Henadz Masko considers absurd the requirement that members of the council report to the people acting on behalf of the civil initiative "Social Office".

03.02.2014 Bialynichy: signatures for pro-governmental candidates collected during working hours

The process of nomination of candidates to the Bialynichy District Council and the Mahiliou Regional Council is going on quite actively. In particular, Head of the Mahiliou Regional branch of the National Bank of Belarus and acting Deputy Chairman of the Mahiliou Regional Council Raisa Lychkovskaya was nominated a candidate for the Mahiliou Regional Council of the 27 Convocation.

03.02.2014 Customs officers return book by Valery Karbalevich to its owner, but refuse to familiarize him with results of examination

Officers of Ashmiany Customs promised to return the book “Aliaksandr Lukashenka – Political Portrait” by Valery Karbalevich, to its owner, Salihorsk activist Aliaksandr Malochka. However, he does not hurry to celebrate his victory.

03.02.2014 Brest “For Freedom” coordinator sues Ministry of Culture

Brest coordinator of the Movement "For Freedom" Dzianis Turchaniak trying to challenge the actions of the Ministry of Culture of Belarus, which coordinated the project documentation and issued a permit for the construction of a road bridge at the Brest Fortress.

03.02.2014 Homel police demand that white-red-white flag be removed from electoral picket

On 1 February the civil campaign "Tell the Truth!" held a picket to collect signatures for nomination of its activists as candidates. All in all, “Tell the Truth!” in Homel supports 23 people who intend to run for the city and the regional councils. The picket was helded opposite the train station. The activists used the logos of “Tell the Truth!” “People's Referendum” and a white-red-white flag.

03.02.2014 Supreme Court dismisses appeal against annulment of registration of electoral teams

Mikalai Ulasevich, civil society activist from the Astravets district, received an official response from the Supreme Court, where he tried to appeal the decision of the Central Electoral Commission to cancel the registration of his two initiative groups.