The Human Rights Center “Viasna”

News for April 2014

18.04.2014 “In the name of the Republic of Belarus”: Pavel Sialiun executed

Death convict Pavel Sialiun is said to have been executed one of these days. Meanwhile, his complaint is still pending before the UN Human Rights Committee. This means that Belarus has once again breached its international obligations.

18.04.2014 Mikalai Autukhovich: “When I was released, former head of tax inspection asked for bodyguard”

Former political prisoner, Vaukavysk businessman told about the conditions of detention in Belarusian prisons, about his opinion on the entrepreneurial movement in Belarus and assessed the level of corruption in the country.

18.04.2014 Homel court warns Young Front activists over Ukraine solidarity

The Tsentralny District Court of Homel issued official warnings to three members of the Young Front opposition movement, Andrei Tsianiuta, Natallia Kryvashei and Stanislau Bula, having found them guilty of illegal picketing. The activists were charged of staging on 22 February an illegal picket in memory of Ukrainian victims.

18.04.2014 Brest Regional Court dismisses UCP election complaint

The complaint dealt with a decision of the trial court that confirmed a ban on an election rally held in Brest on February 24 and said that the protesters violated the procedure of holding mass events.

17.04.2014 Court blocks Valiantsin Stefanovich’s complaint against ban on Viasna website

Having appealed against the decision of the Tsentralny District Court, who dismissed a complaint against the actions of the Prosecutor General’s Office, human rights defender Valiantsin Stefanovich has not yet received any reaction, either a notification of the date of consideration or its receipt by the court.

17.04.2014 Death convict Aliaksandr Hrunou files supervisory appeal and petition for clemency

Aliaksandr Hrunou notes that when sentencing him to death the court failed to consider number of mitigating circumstances, including his sincere repentance, complete confession and voluntary cooperation with the investigation, as well as the illegal and immoral actions by the victim, Natallia Yemialiyanchykava.

17.04.2014 Belarus has “lowest respect for labor rights, trade union rights” in Customs Union (video)

Belarus has demonstrated the lowest level of respect for labor and trade union rights within the Customs Union, says Anton Leppik, representative of the International Trade Union Confederation (ITUC), who participated in the discussion of the joint report of the International Federation for Human Rights (FIDH) and the Human Rights Center “Viasna” “Forced Labor and Pervasive Violations of Workers’ Rights in Belarus”, held this month in Stockholm at the initiative of Swedish human rights defenders.

17.04.2014 Supreme Court upholds death sentence to Eduard Lykau

The man was found guilty of five murders. He committed the first two in 2002. However, the investigation found about it only in 2011, when he was detained for the last, fifth murder. Lykau confessed the previous crimes himself and cooperated with the investigation.

17.04.2014 Minsk Regional Court dismisses appeal against ban on Human Rights Day picket in Salihorsk

The Minsk Regional Court has dismissed a cassation appeal filed by Salihorsk opposition activist Uladzimir Shyla to challenge a ban on a picket scheduled for Human Rights Day, after an earlier decision by the District Court was confirmed.

17.04.2014 Supreme Court dismisses appeal of Kavaliou's relatives

According to the responce signed by Deputy Chairman of the Supreme Court Andrei Zabara, the decisions of the Kastrychnitski District Court of Minsk and the Civil Division of the Minsk City Court according to which the consideration of such appeals is beyond their powers are left in force.

17.04.2014 Baranavichy: political prisoners are congratulated on Easter

April 15, Baranavichy activists sent colored greeting cards with Easter to political prisoners Mikalai Statkevich, Ales Bialiatski, Eduard Lobau, Mikalai Dziadok, Ihar Alinevich, Artsiom Prakapenka, Andrei Haidukou and Vasil Parfiankou.

17.04.2014 Applications for memorial Chernobyl actions filed in Vitsebsk region

Four representatives of the Conservative Christian Party “Belarusian Popular Front” filed a request to hold a picket on April 26 to the Chyhunachny District Executive Committee of Vitsebsk in the specially designated place, Culture and Recreation Park of Railroad Workers.

17.04.2014 Mahiliou: military enlistment office suggested independent journalist to agree to surveillance over himself

At the local military enlistment office Yauhen Hlushkou was proposed to sign the statement according to which intelligence services could carry out verification activities against him at any time.

17.04.2014 Expert speaks about principles of torture investigation

Expert on the prison system, lawyer Pavel Sapelka prepared an analytical report which summarizes the provisions of the existing international instruments to effectively investigate torture and other cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment, as well as legal regulations and medical ethics in relation to this problem.

16.04.2014 Vitsebsk Regional Executive Committee deliberately doesn't use Belarusian language at its website

BPF activist Kanstantsin Smolikau filed an electronic appeal to the Vitsebsk REC, offering this institution to maske a Belarusian-language version for the website. The ideological department gave quite a short response: the website has been and will only be in Russian, since it is not contrary to the law.