The Human Rights Center “Viasna”

News for June 2015

04.06.2015 Baranavičy: Yadviha Rubtsova visits her husband in prison

June 3 Yadviha Rubtsova, wife of political prisoner Yury Rubtsou, visited her husband, who is currently held in jail No.6 in Baranavičy. This is the first meeting of Mrs. Jadviha and her husband after the trial, which declared Yury Rubtsou guilty of evasion of serving punishment of restraint of liberty (Art. 415 of the Criminal Code), and punished him with two years of medium security colony, taking into account the unserved term of punishment.

04.06.2015 Viciebsk: Department of Justice rejects candidacy of human rights defender for Monitoring Commission

Human rights activist Pavel Levinau has been nominated to the Viciebsk Regional Public Monitoring Commission by Belarusian Helsinki Committee. The corresponding letter with the request to approve the candidacy of the representative of the BHC was sent to the justice department of the regional executive committee. However, the request was not satisfied.

03.06.2015 Former political prisoners are still watched by security services

Vaŭkavysk entrepreneur Mikahail Autukhovich told the Human Rights Center “Viasna” that before the presentation in Vaŭkavysk of the book “Worm”, written by the former political prisoner Zmitser Dashkevich, they were watched by several people in civvies.

03.06.2015 Attack on human rights organizations in Grozny

In Grozny, May 3, unidentified persons destroyed the office of the human rights organization "Committee against Torture". The office staff managed to escape through the window.

Prosecutor General's Office: “You were forcibly taken to the psychiatric hospital, but the subsequent treatment was carried out on your agreement”

03.06.2015 Prosecutor General's Office: “You were forcibly taken to the psychiatric hospital, but the subsequent treatment was carried out on your agreement”

Valiantsin Kavalchuk, who lives in the village of Vialiakaja Hać, has been trying to appeal the actions of the local medics and police, who had forcedly and illegally sent him to the Mahilioŭ psychiatric hospital in October 2013.

03.06.2015 Human rights activists launch a humanitarian mission in Ukraine

The Human Rights Center "Viasna" initiated a humanitarian mission in Ukraine. Its main goal is to help Ukrainian immigrants from the conflict zone, 100,000 of whom are living in Kharkiv alone.

02.06.2015 Baranavičy activist claims that he was beaten by police

Baranavičy activist of "Young Front" Kiryl Luksha was beaten by the police after a protest action. He reported it through his accounts on social networking websites.

02.06.2015 Freelance journalists Volha Chaichyts and Siarhei Krauchuk get fined 30 basic units

Judge Shaiko of the Dziaržynsk District Court decided to fine the journalist Volha Chaichyts for violation of Art. 22.9 of the Administrative Code, Part 2, 30 basic units or 5.4million rubles. Siarhei Krauchuk was fined the same amount, too.

02.06.2015 Mikalai Autukhovich is appealing alleged arrear in payment of insurance fees during his imprisonment

Former political prisoner and entrepreneur Mikalai Autukhovich continues to challenge the illegal actions of the Department of Social Protection Fund (SPF) of Vaŭkavysk district, which requires him to pay the debt on compulsory insurance payments to the budget provided for entrepreneurs.

02.06.2015 Baranavičy activists challenge picket ban at Supreme Court

Human rights activist Siarhei Housha has filed a supervisory appeal to the Supreme Court against the decision of the Baranavičy City and District Court of january 27, 2015 and the determination of the Judicial Board on Civil Cases of the Brest Regional Court of March 19, 2015.

02.06.2015 Will Supreme Court help make open "open trials " in penal colonies?

Lawyer Pavel Sapelka asks the Supreme Court of Belarus to clarify the procedure of citizens' access to offsite hearings held in penitentiary institutions.

02.06.2015 Biaroza officials again regard solidarity with political prisoners as "inciting ethnic hatred"

Biaroza human rights defenders and social activists have been again denied the opportunity to publicly voice their disagreement with the tax on the unemployed and the presence of political prisoners in the country.

02.06.2015 Brest: freelance journalists get attacked and taken to police station

The incident took place in the evening of 1 June, when local journalists Ales Liauchuk and Milana Kharytonava were preparing a video report about the dangers of smoking in one of the shopping centers of Brest.

02.06.2015 Human Rights Situation in Belarus: May 2015

In May, there were no positive developments in the human rights situation in Belarus.

01.06.2015 Police draw up two more violation reports on Kanstantsin Zhukouski

Drawing up reports under Article 22.9 of the Administrative Code (illegal manufacturing media products) against Homieĺ freelance journalist Kanstantsin Zhukouski has been put on the conveyor by the local police. Over the past two months, they had compiled five such reports on the journalist in connection with implementation of his professional duties.