The Human Rights Center “Viasna”

News for April 2014

24.04.2014 Brest Regional Court to consider complaint by ex-candidate

Former candidate in this year’s local elections Mikalai Charnavus received today a notice from the Baranavichy District and City Court saying that his private complaint had been sent to the Brest Regional Court. The letter says that the Brest Regional Court will hear the claim on May 5.

24.04.2014 Two more opposition activists arrested ahead of Chernobyl Way march

Two activists of the Alternatyva opposition movement, Aliaksandr Stsepanenka and Uladzimir Siarheyeu, were detained last evening in Minsk. They were charged with disorderly conduct and sentenced to five days of arrest by the Minsk Tsentralny District Court.

23.04.2014 Political prisoner Parfiankou thrown to locked cell for half a year

On 7 April Vasil Parfiankou has been placed in a locked-type confinement cell for 6 months. The charter97.org web-site learnt about that from an activist of the European Belarus civic campaign Julia Sciapanava.

23.04.2014 Chernobyl pickets banned in Hrodna

Vadzim Saranchukou and Mikalai Lemianouski, members of the Belarusian Popular Front’s Hrodna office, have received from the executive committee official bans on conducting awareness-raising pickets, scheduled for April 26 to mark the anniversary of the Chernobyl disaster.

23.04.2014 10-days’ arrest for white-red-white flags

Judge Anastasia Asipchyk of Minsk’s Zavodski District Court has sentenced opposition activist Illia Dabratvor to an administrative arrest of 10 days.

23.04.2014 Ashton condemns latest execution in Belarus

The spokesperson of Catherine Ashton, High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy and Vice President of the Commission, has issued a statement to condemn the execution of Pavel Sialiun, Radio Liberty's Belarus service reports.

23.04.2014 Opposition activist Maksim Viniarski goes on hunger strike to protest sentencing

Maksim Viniarski, activist of the European Belarus opposition movement, was sentenced last evening to 12 days of arrest by the Court of Minsk’s Frunzenski district.

22.04.2014 Can political prisoners count on release under amnesty?

On April 21, it became known that the parliament was expected to review a bill on amnesty in 2014. However, the national legal portal has not yet published the document.

22.04.2014 Chernobyl events banned in Vitsebsk and Navapolatsk

Local authorities in Vitsebsk and Navapolatsk have banned a number of events scheduled to mark the anniversary of the Chernobyl disaster on April 26. According to the officials, the organizers failed to submit an appropriate application.

22.04.2014 Another former candidate fired

Former candidate in this year’s local elections Vital Kalinouski has been forced to resign from the Mikashevichy-based Narbud + private enterprise, where he had as a mechanic.

21.04.2014 Ongoing harassment of UCP activists in Brest

Iryna Siniapkina, a member of the United Civil Party in Brest, received a summons from local police, which however failed to indicate the date and time of the expected visit, as well as the reasons for the call.

21.04.2014 Biaroza human rights defenders challenge picket ban

The Biaroza District Executive Committee admitted lack of independence professionalism when on March 20 it gave permission to hold a rally on Freedom Day and three days before the event reversed its decision.

21.04.2014 Journalist carrying election observation bulletins not admitted to Belarus

Journalist Anna Azemsha was sent back at Belarus’ border with Lithuania because there were election observation bulletins in the car.

21.04.2014 Journalist in Vitsebsk facing charges over illegal work for foreign media

The fact that journalist Alena Stsiapanava is accused of working without accreditation for foreign media was reported during her visit to the Kastrychnitski district police department of Vitsebsk.

18.04.2014 Fines for Distribution of Low-Circulation Press

The Smarhon district court fined the local activist Uladzimir Shulzhytski for 3 million rubles ($300) for distribution of low-circulation bulletin Smarhonski Grak.