The Human Rights Center “Viasna”

News for May 2015

20.05.2015 Ambulance called in to persons on hunger strike in Mahilyou

Two persons in Mahilyou, who are protesting against illegal rehousing from flats to a hostel, have been taken bad.

20.05.2015 Supreme Court turns down appeal by Mahilioŭ journalist

The Supreme Court represented by Deputy Chairman Ruslan Aniskevich considered an appeal by journalist Ales Burakou against an earlier decision of Mahilioŭ’s Lieninski District Court of 8 October 2014, which fined him 6 million rubles for the illegal production of media products, as well as the decision of the Mahilioŭ Regional Court of 20 November 2014, which upheld the judgment.

20.05.2015 Human rights activist asks Prosecutor’s Office to investigate police violence against football fans in Baranavičy

Human rights activist Siarhei Housha has filed a complaint in the Baranavičy District Prosecutor’s Office against employees of the Ministry of Internal Affairs who beat football fans outside the Lakamatyŭ stadium on May 3.

20.05.2015 Eastern Partnership Civil Society Conference opens in Riga

The Eastern Partnership Civil Society Conference has opened today in Riga to address the issue of “Empowering Civil Society in the Eastern Partnership: Current Challenges and Future Scenarios”. The forum is attended by the chairman of the Human Rights Center "Viasna" and Vice-President of the International Federation for Human Rights Ales Bialiatski.

19.05.2015 Supreme Court dismisses appeal by disabled rights activist

Yury Liashenka, a disabled civil society activist from Svietlahorsk, has received from the Supreme Court a response to his complaint asking the court to cancel the decision of the Svietlahorsk District Court to punish him for illegal picketing.

18.05.2015 House of Representatives: No reasons to decriminalize Article 411

Liudmila Mikhalkova, Chairperson of the Standing Commission on legislation of the House of Representatives of the National Assembly replied to Viasna’s letter concerning possible abolition of Article 411 of the Criminal Code.

18.05.2015 Belarusian government stops correspondence with UN HRC concerning communication by Viciebsk resident

The Belarusian authorities have refused to cooperate with the UN Human Rights Committee in a case of Mikhail Zhurauliou, a resident of Viciebsk who was fined back in 2012 for distributing independent press. Representatives of the government say that Mr. Zhurauliou’s individual communication was prepared and submitted to the Committee by human rights activist Pavel Levinau.

18.05.2015 Mikalai Statkevich: "I do not aspire to be a hero, but I want to be a decent man”

On May 16, Bialyničy journalist Barys Vyrvich received a letter from political prisoner Mikalai Statkevich who is held in the Mahilioŭ-based prison No. 4. In his letter, the former presidential candidate told about the conditions of his detention at the new place of imprisonment.

18.05.2015 European Belarus activist to stand trial for insulting official

On May 20, the Court of Smaliavičy district is expected to hear an administrative case of Maksim Viniarski, activist of the European Belarus opposition movement.

18.05.2015 Sign the petition: Freedom for political prisoners in Belarus!

The Belarusian Human Rights Center Viasna, the Swiss-German association Libereco – Partnership for Human Rights and the independent watchdog organization Freedom House have launched a joint online petition to demand the release of all political prisoners from Belarusian president Lukashenka.

16.05.2015 Information Ministry Targets Independent Websites

Several websites providing independent socio-political news have received letters from the Information Minister; the letters request information about owners of the websites and warn that the websites contain some “violations of the mass media legislation”.

15.05.2015 Viasna joins campaign in support of Bahraini human rights defender Nabeel Rajab

The appeal verdict against Bahraini human rights activist Nabeel Rajab confirming his sentence of six months in jail for insulting government institutions on Twitter, demonstrates the Bahraini authorities’ complete disregard for the right to freedom of expression, said Amnesty International today.

15.05.2015 Prosecutor General's Office answers Tatsiana Reviaka concerning "normalization" of Jews by Lukashenka

Officials of the prosecution believe that the arguments of Tatsiana Reviaka are "disputable". The activist will seek an answer on the merits.

15.05.2015 Baranavičy: first hearing on May Day picket ban

May 14, Baranavičy City and District Court started considering the appeal of civil society activist Ryhor Hryk against the ban on the picket he intended to hold on May 1, issued by the Baranavičy City Executive Committee.