The Human Rights Center “Viasna”

News for April 2015

24.04.2015 Wheelchair user in Babrujsk offered to install lift at own expense

Anastasiya Fiodarava, a wheelchair user from Babrujsk, has received a reply from the Mahilioŭ Regional Executive Committee. The girl asked the officials to assist in the installation of a wheelchair lift at the entrance to an apartment building where she lives. According to Anastasiya, she cannot leave the apartment in her new electric wheelchair.

24.04.2015 House of Representatives: Secrecy of executions suggests anonymity of burial

Tamara Sialiun, the mother of Pavel Sialiun, who was executed in April 2014, has received a reply from the House of Representatives of the National Assembly to her request asking to initiate amendments of Article 175 of the Criminal Executive Code, which prohibits handing over the bodies of executed prisoners for burial or disclosing the place of their burial.

23.04.2015 Journalist Viktar Parfionenka files appeal to Chairman of Supreme Court

Journalist Viktar Parfionenka has filed an appeal to the Chairman of the Supreme Court Valiantsin Sukala. Earlier, the Lieninski District Court of Minsk refused to open a civil case against the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Belarus, which over the past few years rejected seven applications for accreditation with Radio Racyja.

23.04.2015 Another death verdict expected in Homiel

The body of a young mother with numerous stab wounds was found in the yard of a private house in Rečyca, Homiel region. The police are investigating the murder. Local human rights defender Leanid Sudalenka says the gravity of the crime resembles that committed by Aliaksandr Hrunou, who was executed last year. Therefore, he does not rule out a new death verdict.

23.04.2015 Political prisoner Yury Rubtsou receives investigation materials

According to information received by the Human Rights Center "Viasna", political prisoner Yury Rubtsou has been allowed to read the materials of the case brought against him under Article 415 of the Criminal Code - "evasion from serving punishment of restraint of liberty”. He faces four episodes of “evasion”.

23.04.2015 Police officer or cop?

According to numerous polls, less than 40% of Belarusians have complete trust in the police. Meanwhile, police officers seem to perform quite a respected function - to protect and defend. Is it a paradox?

23.04.2015 AZERBAIJAN: Intigam Aliyev sentenced to 7.5 years of jail for human rights work

Paris-Geneva, April 22, 2015 – The Observatory for the Protection of Human Rights Defenders, a joint programme of the International Federation for Human Rights (FIDH) and the World Organisation Against Torture (OMCT), strongly condemns the seven and a half year jail sentence handed down today by the Baku Grave Crimes Court against Intigam Aliyev.

23.04.2015 Human Rights Lawyer Aliyev Sentenced To Prison In Azerbaijan

BAKU -- A prominent human rights lawyer in Azerbaijan, Intiqam Aliyev, has been sentenced to 7 1/2 years in prison after a trial that he called politically motivated.

22.04.2015 Valiantsin Stefanovich: No political will to implement conditions for Belarus membership in Council of Europe

There is no political will to implement conditions for Belarus’ membership in the Council of Europe, said Valiantsin Stefanovich, deputy head of the Human Rights Center "Viasna" on April 21 in Strasbourg during a meeting of the PACE’s Committee on Political Affairs and Democracy. The hearings were held in preparation of the report of the Special Rapporteur on Belarus Andrea Rigoni.

22.04.2015 Freelance journalist Ales Dzianisau and Ales Kirkevich fined 20 basic units

The Court of Hrodna’s Leninski district completed today administrative proceedings against freelance journalist Ales Dzianisau and Ales Kirkevich. The last hearing was short. Judge Alena Piatrova only screened the story aired on the Belsat TV channel in early March. It told about the opening of an exhibition at the Belarusian State Museum of the History of Religion.

22.04.2015 PACE President voices conditions for resuming contacts with official Minsk

Belarus should declare a moratorium on the death penalty, release political prisoners and hold free elections.

22.04.2015 Viciebsk officials ban Chernobyl memorial demonstration

An application for the memorial rally was submitted by local members of the Conservative Christian Party Belarusian Popular Front. The demonstration was expected to pass through three districts of the city, therefore it was the city authorities who were supposed to consider the application. As a result, Deputy Chairman of the Executive Committee Dzmitry Sherykau banned the march.

21.04.2015 Human rights activists in Biaroza appeal ban on Freedom Day rally

Human rights defenders have sent an appeal to the Court of Biaroza district. They believe that the reason for prohibiting a picket scheduled for March 25 is far-fetched. The ban was signed by deputy chairman of the district executive committee Yauhen Tarasiuk. The human rights activists disagree that the purpose of the picket – commemoration of the anniversary of the Belarusian People's Republic and the demand to release political prisoners – aimed at fomenting ethnic hatred.

21.04.2015 Human rights defender faces charges for writing to police

An administrative case has been opened against human rights defender Pavel Levinau, according to a letter received from the Kastryčnicki district police department of Viciebsk. The human rights activist had asked to prosecute those responsible for the distribution of Soviet flags in the city.

19.04.2015 Political prisoner Artsiom Prakapenka denied pardon

On April 17, political prisoner Artsiom Prakapenka phoned his family from the Mahilioŭ prison and said that he had been shown a response from the commission for pardon that rejected his request without explanation. Artsiom Prakapenka says he was not allowed to have a copy of the document.