The Human Rights Center “Viasna”

News for 24 Nov 2014

24.11.2014 Fresh probe to be launched over death in Svetlahorsk jail

The Svetlahorsk District Court has quashed a decision by the district department of the Investigative Committee, which earlier refused to open a criminal investigation into the death of Aliaksandr Akulich, who died while serving an administrative arrest in the detention center of the town’s police department in May 2012. The judge agreed with all the arguments of the victim’s mother and the human rights defenders of the HRC “Viasna”.

24.11.2014 Young opposition activist Haydukow released after being charged with minor offense

Andrey Haydukow, a prominent young opposition activist who was arrested Friday in his home city of Navapolatsk, Vitsyebsk region, over the distribution of leaflets about political prisoners in Belarus, was released from the police station after a charge sheet was drawn up against him.

24.11.2014 Authorities keep torturing death convict’s mother (PHOTOS)

Volha Hrunova, the mother of Aliaksandr Hrunou, who was executed on October 22, 2014 for the murder of his friend Natallia Yemialyianchykava, has received his prison uniform. It was after receiving the package that the death convict’s mother realized that the death sentence was carried out.

24.11.2014 Activist in Khotsimsk complains against police officers

Valery Karankevich, an opposition activist from the town of Khotsimsk, has sent a complaint to the Minister of Internal Affairs asking the official to inform him about the results of an official investigation into the work of the district police department and the Mahiliou regional police department. The probe was expected to highlight a number of violations committed by them in the conduct of administrative proceedings in a slander lawsuit he lodged after a series of publications on an Internet resource voskresinfo.com.

24.11.2014 Human rights activist Uladzimir Khilmanovich to stand trial for honoring anti-Russian rebels

Participants in the traditional action in memory of the insurgents of the 1863 anti-Russian uprising, which was held in the town of Svislach on October 26, are still facing administrative charges of involvement in an unauthorized event.

24.11.2014 Minsk court turns down appeal against picket ban

On November 21, the court of the Maskouski district of Minsk considered an appeal against a decision of the Minsk City Executive Committee, which banned a picket of solidarity with Ukraine citing obviously far-fetched reasons, the press service of the Committee “Solidarity” reports.