The Human Rights Center “Viasna”

News for December 2014

31.12.2014 Happy Holidays and a Happy New Year!

The coming year is not going to be easy. But even in these difficult conditions, we wish you not to lose optimism and activity, to say and do things that will improve our lives, to protect your own rights and the independence of Belarus!

31.12.2014 Syarhei Kavalenka on hunger strike for the sixth day

Syarhei Kavalenka, an activist of the conservative Christian Party BPF, sentenced to 10 day arrest, is on hunger strike for 6 days already.

30.12.2014 Salihorsk human rights defender appeals ban on Human Rights Day picket

Human rights activist Leanid Markhotka has sent to the court of Salihorsk district an appeal against a ban imposed by local officials on a picket that was scheduled for Human Rights Day. Prior to this, Mr. Markhotka wrote to the prosecutor, but that attempt failed.

30.12.2014 UCP Deputy Chairman searched at border

On December 28, Vasil Paliakou, deputy chairman of the United Civil Party of Belarus, was taken off the train going to Minsk as he was crossing the Lithuanian-Belarusian border. During a thorough examination, he was forced to take off his clothes and even shoes.

30.12.2014 Journalist in Mahiliou complains about ban on attending Regional Council’s meeting

Uladzimir Laptsevich, a reporter for the BelaPAN news agency, has filed a complaint in the Mahiliou Regional Court against two officials of the Regional Council of Deputies, including its Chairman Mr. Isachenka, who prevented the journalist from attending a meeting of the Council. In addition, Uladzimir Laptsevich asks the court to order these individuals not to interfere with attending public meetings of the Regional Council in the future.

29.12.2014 Siarhei Kavalenka arrested for 10 days

The Vitsebsk opposition activist spent three days before the trial in the detention center, having declared a hunger strike. He was taken into custody on December 24 – the day when a white-red-white flag appeared in Vitsebsk. Siarhei Kavalenka was brought to the courtroom in handcuffs, which particularly angered his relatives and human rights defenders.

29.12.2014 Political prisoner Ihar Alinevich visited by parents

Political prisoner Ihar Alinevich, who was sentenced to eight years in prison under strict regime, has been allowed to see his parents during a long meeting, which however lasted only 24 hours instead of the usual three days, according to Valiantsina Alinevich, the political prisoner’s mother.

29.12.2014 Salihorsk Prosecutor’s Office brushes off appeal by human rights activist

The Prosecutor’s Office of Salihorsk district did not respond to a ban imposed by the district executive committee on a picket scheduled for Human Rights Day and the absurd actions of an ideology official who classified the decision as a state secret.

26.12.2014 Brest Prosecutor’s Office finds no violations in actions of City Council deputies

This follows from a response received by activists of the civil initiative “Social Office”, who were going to attract the attention of the supervisory authority to fact of disrespect for the legislation on citizens’ petitions repeatedly committed by the City Council members.

26.12.2014 Opposition activist Siarhei Kavalenka detained in Vitsebsk

On December 24, unknown activists placed a huge white-red-white flag on a high-rise building in central Vitsebsk, presumably in support of Yury Belenki, deputy chair of the Conservative Christian Party BPF, who has been fined three times over the past month for organizing a number of authorized rallies in Minsk.

26.12.2014 Human rights activist Alena Tankachova appeals expulsion in court

Alena Tankachova, Director of the Center for Legal Transformation “Lawtrend”, sent on December 24 to the court of Minsk’s Pershamaiski district an appeal against the decision of the district police department to expel her from the country for three years.

26.12.2014 UN Special Rapporteur sums up year in Belarus

2015 will be a key year for Belarus.

26.12.2014 Disability rights activist in Svetlahorsk seeks prosecution for doctors who detained him

Yury Liashenka, an activist for the rights of persons with disabilities in the town of Svetlahorsk, asks the Health Care Minister to punish the doctors who detained him during a picket on November 25, brought him to hospital and made an injection allegedly due to high pressure. The activist believes that this was an example of the use of health care workers in the political persecution of citizens.

24.12.2014 Vitsebsk Regional Court turns down appeals in photo session case

The Vitsebsk Regional Court has heard the appeals of local journalists and activists who were fined for unauthorized picketing as a result of a photo session on November 5. The appeals were dismissed by the court, who did not accept the arguments that it was not picketing, but a photo shoot and upheld the ruling of the Chuhynachny district court.

24.12.2014 Yauhen Vaskovich receives medicines and clothes

Rushaniya Vaskovich, the mother of political prisoner Yauhen Vaskovich, said that she had visited the Mahiliou-based penal colony No. 15 to pass him medicines and vitamins, as her son had health problems.