The Human Rights Center “Viasna”

News for May 2015

22.05.2015 Freelance journalist in Homieĺ again punished for working without accreditation

On May 22, the Homieĺ District Court heard an administrative case of local freelance journalist Kanstantsin Zhukouski. As a result, the freelancer was punished by a fine of 25 basic units under Article 22.9 of the Administrative Code (illegal manufacturing media products).

22.05.2015 Freelance journalist in Brest faces fresh administrative charges

Freelance journalist Alina Litvinchuk is facing new charges under Article 22.9 of the Code of Administrative offenses, namely working with foreign media without accreditation.

22.05.2015 Brest authorities confirm ban on picket of solidarity with political prisoners

Human rights defenders in Biaroza have received a reply from the Brest Regional Executive Committee signed by the deputy chairman Leanid Tsupryk. The letter concerned an earlier decision of the Biaroza executive committee to ban a picket scheduled for March 9.

22.05.2015 Amnesty International: Overwhelming new evidence of prisoners being tortured and killed amid conflict in Ukraine

Overwhelming evidence of ongoing war crimes, including torture and summary killings of prisoners, serve as a stark reminder of the brutal practices being committed on a near-daily basis in the conflict in eastern Ukraine, Amnesty International said in a new report published today.

21.05.2015 Riga summit: Human rights defenders urge to release all political prisoners

The participants of the Civil Society Forum held in Riga as part of the Eastern Partnership summit have demanded to release all political prisoners in the EaP member states without delay, euroradio.fm reports.

21.05.2015 Belarusian Supreme Court asks Poland to outlaw Belsat TV trade mark

The Supreme Court of Belarus calls on the Polish authorities to ban Belsat TV from using its trade mark.

21.05.2015 Dunja Mijatović: No cooperation with countries where human rights are violated

The first Eastern Partnership (EaP) Media Conference started in Riga. Belarusian media representatives are taking part in it.

21.05.2015 European Belarus activist fined, two more detained in Smaliavičy

The Smaliavičy District Court has sentenced Maksim Viniarski, activist of the European Belarus opposition movement, to a fine of 5.4 mln rubles on charges of insulting a police officer (Article 23.5 of the Administrative Code).

21.05.2015 Restrictions on street protests in Viciebsk violate international human rights standards

In March, human rights activist Pavel Levinau wrote to the General Directorate of Justice of the Viciebsk Regional Executive Committee to protest against decision No. 881 of the Viciebsk City Executive Committee “On mass events in the city of Viciebsk”. A month later he received an answer: the decision is fully consistent with the Constitution and international treaties.

21.05.2015 Ales Bialiatski: No changes for the better in Belarus

Donald Tusk is deceived, there are no improvements in Minsk.

20.05.2015 Political prisoner Yury Rubtsou to stand trial on May 27

The trial of a political prisoner Yury Rubtsou will be held on 27 May in the court of the Pružany district. The criminal charges under Article 415 of the Criminal Code (“evasion of serving punishment of restraint of liberty”) will be heard by Judge Mikalai Repikha. The political prisoner faces up to three years of imprisonment.

20.05.2015 Navapolatsk activist fined Br3.6

Dzmitry Dziakau, activist of the Organizing Committee on creation of the Belarusian Christian Democracy party fined 20 basic units (Br3.6 million).

20.05.2015 Ales Bialiatski urges EU to comply with clear value-based criteria in relations with regimes of Belarus and Azerbaijan (VIDEO)

On May 20, Ales Bialiatski, head of the HRC "Viasna" and Vice-President of the International Federation for Human Rights, spoke at the Eastern Partnership Civil Society Conference in Riga.

20.05.2015 MPs refuse to address language discrimination

The Standing Committee on Education, Culture and Science of the House of Representatives has considered a report on violations of the rights of Belarusian-language citizens in the Salihorsk district submitted by local human rights defenders. However, MPs found no reasons to change the law.

20.05.2015 Leanid Kulakou: “I called it the torture cell”

Leanid Kulakou, an activist of the European Belarus opposition movement, has told the Human Rights Center “Viasna” about the conditions of detention in the Smaliavičy-based jail, where he recently served 7 days of administrative arrest.