The Human Rights Center “Viasna”

News for 17 Feb 2014

17.02.2014 Hlybokaye authorities ban Constitution Day rally

The executive authorities of the town Hlybokaye, Vitsebsk region, has issued a ban on holding a picket to mark Constitution Day, March 15, referring to lack of service contracts from local medical, utilities and police departments. "Meanwhile, neither the doctors nor the utility service responded to our proposal to sign a contract," says one of the applicants Dzmitry Lupach.

17.02.2014 Court in Minsk to hear complaint against blacklisting spring96.org site

The Court of Minsk’s Tsentralny district will consider tomorrow morning a complaint filed by deputy chairman of the Human Rights Center "Viasna" Valiantsin Stefanovich to challenge a decision of the Prosecutor General’s Office to restrict access to the website spring96.org.

17.02.2014 Maryna Adamovich writes to Israeli PM

The wife of Mikalai Statkevich responded to a remark by ambassador Yosef Shagal, who called the Belarusian political prisoners criminals.

17.02.2014 Election officials in Bykhau launch total check of signatures for opposition hopeful

Representatives of the Bykhau-based district election commission of constituency No. 14 are interviewing almost all citizens who put their signatures for nomination of a candidate for the Mahiliou Regional Council of Deputies, writer and journalist, BPF member Siarhei Antonau. The question they ask is very peculiar – “Why did you sign for Siarhei Antonau?".

17.02.2014 Slonim: BCD activist gets warned

February 14 Slonim District Election Commission issued a warning to member of the Belarusian Christian Democracy Barys Kuchynski for a picket, which he held with his colleagues on February 8. At the commission he was told that the commission had received the appropriate materials from the police. However, no policemen were present at the picket.

17.02.2014 Will elections be non-alternative in Karma?

February 10 the reception of documents from the people willing to become candidates for deputies of local councils came to an end.

17.02.2014 Chair of Biaroza DEC scared of bombs

Two weeks ago, one of the members of the board of an apartment building in Biaroza made an appointment with the chairperson of the Executive Committee Yury Narkevych concerning some housing and utility issues and warned that two more members of the board would come with her.

17.02.2014 Salihorsk authorities ban campaigning in central square

Salihorsk District Executive Committee published the lists of approved places for candidates' campaign events, places to put their campaign materials, and facilities for meetings with voters.

17.02.2014 Baranavichy: Siarhei Housha not allowed to observe signature verification

February 13 the observer from Baranavichy Siarhei Housha received an appropriate letter signed by the chairperson of the Baranavichy City Election Commission Baranovichi Tamara Shukala.

17.02.2014 Crime investigation department interested in local elections

The Astravets District Executive Committee got very worried on learning about the nomination of the socio-political activist Mikalai Ulasevich as a candidate for the local elections. On February 14 he was visited by two officers of the crime investigation department right in his house.