The Human Rights Center “Viasna”

News for December 2014

24.12.2014 Brest journalist fined 6 million

The court of Leninski district of Brest fined a journalist from Brest, Ales Lyauchuk, 40 basic units (6 mln rubles).

24.12.2014 Yury Belenki fined for Dziady for the third time

After three courts for actions in Kurapaty and Loshytsa the total fine to Yury Belenki amounted to Br11 million 250 thousands.

24.12.2014 Pakt human rights NGO registered in Lithuania

The human rights public association “Movement of supporters for the implementation of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights PAKT” has been registered in Lithuania. This was announced by the NGO’s executive director Leanid Sudalenka. According to him, it is impossible to receive official registration in Belarus, because the authorities suppress any initiative created without its control.

24.12.2014 UN Human Rights Committee rules in favor of For Freedom activist Vital Symonik

The United Nations Human Rights Committee has considered the case of an activist of the Movement For Freedom Vital Symonik and found a violation of his right to disseminate information (Art. 19 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights).

24.12.2014 Shklou: Ryhor Kastusiou fined

On December 23, the Shklou District Court fined Ryhor Kastusiou, deputy chairman of the BPF party, 3.37 mln rubles for participation in the celebration of the Day of Remembrance of Kastus Kalinouski rebels in Svislach on October 26.

24.12.2014 Human rights activist Leanid Svetsik: It is necessary to solve the problem of life and health insurance of prisoners

Vitsebsk human rights activist Leanid Svetsik has written to the House of Representatives with a proposal to consider the issue of life and health insurance of prisoners (convicts). MPs have forwarded the proposal to the Department of Corrections and the Ministry of Finance. The latter answered that the authorities were not interested in the introduction of compulsory insurance of life and health of persons held in prison.

23.12.2014 Expert opinion on the case of Homel activist Yury Rubtsou

On December 21, it was reported that opposition activist Yury Rubtsou had been sent to open-type correctional facility No. 7 in the village of Kuplin, Pruzhany district, Brest region.

23.12.2014 Belarus has new political prisoner – Yury Rubtsou

Joint statement by the Human Rights Center “Viasna” and the Belarusian Helsinki Committee.

23.12.2014 Death convict’s mother asks President to change law that prohibits returning bodies to families

Volha Hrunova, the mother of Aliaksandr Hrunou, who was executed for the brutal murder of a student in Homel, petitions the President, both Houses of Parliament, the Supreme Court and the Government asking the officials to propose the Constitutional Court to amend the Criminal Executive Code, which prohibits returning the body of the executed person and disclosing the places of their burial.

23.12.2014 Disabled activist fined for holding a picket in defense of rights of people with disabilities in Svetlahorsk

On December 22, the Court of Svetlahorsk district considered the administrative charges brought against Yury Liashenka, a wheelchair user of Homel, who tried to stage a picket in front of the executive committee on November 25, but was prevented by an ambulance car, which took him to hospital.

23.12.2014 UN Human Rights Committee considers case of Aliaksandr Kazulin

The United Nations Human Rights Committee at its October session examined the case of ex-presidential candidate Aliaksandr Kazulin and found violations of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, says human rights activist Raman Kisliak, Radio Racyja reports.

23.12.2014 Prosecutor’s office rejects complaint against degrading conditions of detention in Salihorsk

At the request of Uladzimir Lemesh, an activist of the European Belarus opposition movement, the Salihorsk District Prosecutor’s Office has checked the conditions of detention in the city’s police department. As a result of the probe, prosecuting authorities identified certain violations of regulations for special institutions of the Interior, says a response by the supervisory authority.

23.12.2014 BAJ: Statement on the Massive Blocking of Websites

Since December 19, several informational Internet resources in Belarus have been subject to blocking. Most of them remain inaccessible from the territory of the country until now. In particular, users’ access to belapan.com and belapan.by, naviny.by, belaruspartisan.org, charter97.org, udf.by, 21.by, gazetaby.com, zautra.by have been restricted without explanations.