The Human Rights Center “Viasna”

News for 23 Jul 2014

23.07.2014 Ales Bialiatski’s The Quicksilver of Life presented in Minsk

The Quicksilver of Life is the first book by Chairman of the Human Rights Center “Viasna” and vice-president of FIDH Ales Bialiatski, which was presented in Minsk on July 22 with the participation of the author.

23.07.2014 Belarusian society must be prepared for lustration in advance

Another round table discussion entitled “The relevance of lustration in the contemporary post-Soviet space” was held last week by the public initiative “Lustration for Belarus”. The range of issues for discussion was rather broad and included studying the Ukrainian experience (from the Maidan protests to the present), as well as examples of lustration in other post-Soviet countries, and possible options for the development of the Concept of Lustration in Belarus.

23.07.2014 Constitutional Court to study gaps in language legislation

The Constitutional Court will address the flaws of the country’s language legislation, says human rights defender Aliaksei Valabuyeu, citing a reply to his petition.

23.07.2014 Three picket banned in Orsha

Orsha authorities have banned three street protests scheduled for July 27, the day of the adoption of the Declaration on State Sovereignty of Belarus. The events were applied for by local activists of the United Civil Party and were expected to be held in three locations, the Heroes Park, near the entrance to the Aronia cafe and in the textile workers’ recreation park. All the three venues are authorized for public events.

23.07.2014 UCP activist in Hrodna submits complaint to UN Human Rights Committee

On July 22, Yezhy Hryhencha, Chairman of the Hrodna city office of the United Civil Party, sent a complaint to the UN Human Rights Committee. The activist believes that his right to peaceful assembly violated by a decision of the Leninski District Court of Hrodna, whose Judge Alena Piatrova fined him for active participation in a mass event.

23.07.2014 Yury Rubtsou: “I was actually denied access to justice”

Opposition activist Yury Rubtsou filed on July 22 an appeal to the judicial board on civil cases of the Minsk City Court against a ruling of Minsk’s Maskouski District Court.