The Human Rights Center “Viasna”

News for January 2015

26.01.2015 Baranavichy human rights activist asks prosecutor to respond to illegal actions of executive committee

Human rights activist Siarhei Housha has sent a statement to the Baranavichy Interdistrict Prosecutor concerning a decision of the city executive committee of December 5, 2014, which banned a rally expected to mark the anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.

26.01.2015 Court in Babruisk turns down claim by trade union activist

The Babruisk Court has dismissed a lawsuit lodged by Leanid Baranenka, a member of the Free Trade Union and a former employee of the TDiA factory, who was seeking payment of a retirement bonus under the collective agreement. As yet, the bonus can only be claimed by members of the official trade union. Leanid Baranenka believes that the incident a fact of discriminatory.

26.01.2015 Supreme Court upholds warning to Narodnaya Volia

The newspaper can be closed at any moment.

26.01.2015 Information Ministry backs neo-Nazi interview on state TV

Ihar Kazmiarchak, an opposition activist in Orsha, has received a reply to his letter to the Ministry of Information, where he requested to assess the actions of responsible persons who aired an interview with Maksim Martsinkevich, a known supporter of neo-Nazism, on the government-owned STV channel. The letter signed by Deputy Minister suggests that the TV channel only presented “different views”.

23.01.2015 Minsk court convicts pro-Ukraine protesters

The police department of the Tsentralny district of Minsk hosted today a trial of several protesters who were detained yesterday for honoring the memory of people killed during Euromaidan events taking place in the fall and winter of 2013–2014. They were accused of staging an unauthorized mass event (Art. 23.34 of the Administrative Code).

23.01.2015 Homel Regional Court upholds fine for disabled protester

Civil society activist Yury Liashenka appealed the judgment of the Svetlahorsk District Court, who found him guilty of holding an illegal picket. As a result, he was punished by a fine of 2 basic units on charges of violation of Article 23.34 of the Administrative Code.

23.01.2015 Brest Regional Court dismisses journalists’ appeals

Judge Natallia Surma of the Brest Regional Court has dismissed the appeals of independent journalists Ales Liauchuk and Tamara Shchapiotkina, who in December 2014 were fined 40 and 30 basic units, respectively, on charges of violating Part 2, Article 22.9 of the Administrative Code.

23.01.2015 Court conveyer in Brest: 25 minutes for hearing cases of 2 journalists

The court heard cases of two independent journalists and dismissed their appeals.

23.01.2015 Customs and border officials evade responsibility for search

Andrei Dumski, head of the border control department of the State Border Committee, refused to disclose the reasons for an incident that happened back in December, when Vasil Paliakou, deputy chairman of the United Civil Party, who was ordered to undress and take off his shoes during a search at the border crossing. In response to a similar letter, Deputy Chairman of the Customs Committee Siarhei Barysiuk advised the politician to seek answers to his questions in court.

22.01.2015 Court in Mahiliou supports ban on access of reporters to sessions of Regional Council

The Mahiliou Leninski District Court dismissed on January 21 a complaint by Uladzimir Laptsevich, journalist of the BelaPAN news agency, against Chairman of the Mahiliou Regional Council of Deputies Anatol Isachenka and chief specialist of the Regional Council Yauhen Nalhachau.

22.01.2015 Participants of picket to support Charlie Hebdo to be tried in Minsk

Picketers were standing near the embassy of France holding placards “Je suis Charlie”. Head of the United Civil Party (UCP) Anatol Liabedzka, who took part in the picket, wrote it on Facebook.

22.01.2015 Yury Rubtsou goes on indefinite hunger strike

The political prisoner demands a job with the country's average salary of $600.

22.01.2015 Mahiliou Human Rights Center faces dissolution again

The only registered regional human rights organization is once again on the verge of closing.

22.01.2015 Human rights activists protest during President Aliyev’s visit to Berlin

On January 21, representatives of the Berlin-based European Platform for Democratic Elections (EPDE) and local activists of Reporters without Borders held a protest outside the office of the Chancellor of Germany Angela Merkel, who met with the Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev.

22.01.2015 Journalists to stand trial in Svetlahorsk

On January 23, the Svetlahorsk District Court will consider the administrative charges brought against Homel journalists Larysa Schyrakova and Kanstantsin Zhukouski. They are accused of “violating the order of holding mass events” (Article 23.34 of the Administrative Code).