The Human Rights Center “Viasna”

News for 12 Mar 2014

12.03.2014 Residents of Vialikaya Mashchanitsa struggle for secondary school

March, 11, residents of the agrotown of Vialikaya Mashchanitsa (Bialynichy district of the Mahiliou region) filed a collective appeal to the head of the department of education of the Mahiliou Regional Executive Committee. In this address the residents of the agrotown require the Department of Education to keep the secondary school in Maschanitsa, which the authorities are going to turn into a basic school (educating schoolchildren for 9 years instead of 11) without any public discussion.

12.03.2014 Innocent man walks free after 29 years on death row

A man who has spent three decades on death row has walked free after a US judge set aside his conviction.

12.03.2014 Liubou Kavaliova: Decision of the Human Rights Committee of the UN concerning the violations in the case of my son must become a reference book for all judges

March 12, mother of Uladzislau Kavaliou, executed by shooting on the verdict of teh Supreme Court, paid a visit to the Chairman of the Vitsebsk Regional Court Mikalai Khamichenka Hamichenka. He did not allow her to distribute brochures with the decision of the UN HRC decision and threatened that such actions would be regarded as illegal picketing.

12.03.2014 Opposition candidate unable to overcome censorship of his campaigning materials by printing house

Vitsebsk independent candidate Aliaksei Haurutsikau cannot exercise his right to print campaign materials in the state-owned newspaper isued in the town of Dubrouna, due to the refusal of its chief editor. The Central Election Commission supported the position of the editor.

12.03.2014 Relatives of Uladzislau Kavaliou address Prosecutor General

Liubou Kavaliova, mother of Uladzislau Kavaliou, one of the two people executed by shooting two years ago on charges of committing a terrorist act in the Minsk metro, and his sister Tatsiana Kaziar have filed an appeal to Prosecutor General of Belarus Aliaksandr Kaniuk demanding that the investigation into the case to be re-opened due to new circumstances, with the subsequent rehabilitation of the convict.

12.03.2014 Homel activists get jailed for solidarity with Ukraine

The Homel activists Zmitser Karashkou and Stanislau Bula who had been detained near the embassy of Russia in Minsk were sentenced to 15 and 11 days in custody respectively.

12.03.2014 Babruisk journalist to be tried for covering anti-war picket

Maryna Mauchanava, a journalist for the “Babruiski Kur'er” newspaper, covered an anti-war picket on March 6.

12.03.2014 Anatol Liabedzka fined about $400 for picket to support Ukraine

Minsk's Savetski district court found the leader of the United Civil Party guilty of holding an unsanctioned picket. Judge Yakubouski issued a fine of 30 basic units to the politician.

12.03.2014 Journalist detained in Homel for talking to people

The police detained Anatol Hatouchyts at the central railway station in Homel on March 12.

12.03.2014 Editor of “Dniaprouskaya Prauda” accuses candidates of calling to coup d'etat

The district state-owned newspaper “Dniaprouskaya Prauda” refused to publish the pre-electoral program and biography of the Vitsebsk activist Aliaksei Haurutsikau. Its editor stated that the program contained “hidden calls to state overturn”.

12.03.2014 Orsha: candidate cannot get printing house publish campaigning leaflets

A candidate from the Belarusian Popular Front, Orsha resident Ihar Kazmiarchak, has been trying to get the Orsha printing house print his campaigning materials for a week already.

12.03.2014 Hrodna Regional Court dismisses the appeal of UCP members

March 11, Hrodna Regional Court considered the appeal of the activists of the United Civil Party Aliaksandra Davidovich, Yezhy Hryhencha and Aliaksandr Vasilevichagainst the verdict of Judge Alena Piatrova, who sentenced them to fines for allegedly holding an unauthorized picket on February 7.

12.03.2014 Vadzim Saranchukou deprived of candidate status

Vadzim Saranchukou, the only candidate of the Belarusian Popular Front for the Hrodna City Council, was deprived of the status of candidate by the Hrodna City Election Commission. Mr. Saranchukou was told about this at a meeting of the commission.

12.03.2014 Homel: electoral picket of UCP candidate suffers a hooligan attack

March 11, candidate for the Homel City Council at the Studentskaya election constituency, member of the United Civil Party Zmitser Karpenka, held an electoral picket.

12.03.2014 Biography of candidate censored in Mahiliou

The candidate, activist of the Independent Trade Union of Radio-Electronic Industry Aliaksei Paulouski, has filed complaints to the Yamnitskaya constituency election commission No, 35 and the Mahliou City Election Commission.