The Human Rights Center “Viasna”

News for 10 Jul 2015

10.07.2015 Azerbaijan: Trial against Leyla and Arif Yunus to open after a year in custody

Paris-Geneva, 10 July 2015 – On July 13, 2015, the trial of Leyla and Arif Yunus will open before the Baku Administrative-Economical Court. After almost a year in detention, where they have been denied the medical treatment they desperately require, they will face charges such as “large-scale fraud,” “forgery,” “tax evasion,” and “illegal business.” The Observatory for the Protection of Human Rights Defenders urges the authorities in Azerbaijan to immediately and unconditionally release them.

10.07.2015 "Human Rights Defenders for Free Elections" appeal to the CEC with proposals to improve the transparency of the elections

Members of the campaign "Human Rights Defenders for Free Elections" offer the Central Election Commission (CEC) to implement 3 new practices to increase transparency of the elections:

10.07.2015 Ministry of Education believes th there are ample opportunities to study Belarusian language in Belarus

Commenting on the report of Salihorsk representatives of the Belarusian Helsinki Committee on the observance of the rights of Belarusian-speaking citizens in the region, the Ministry of Education has come to the conclusion about the existence of wide opportunities for the study of the Belarusian language and its use in all areas of communication.

10.07.2015 Belarusian volunteers assist residents of IDPs' settlement near Kharkiv

Volunteers of "Belarusian Human Rights Humanitarian Mission in Ukraine" continue their work in Kharkiv. July 8, they got acquainted with the functioning of the modular camp for internally displaced persons, built with the assistance of specialists from Germany.

10.07.2015 Mikaševičy: parents struggling to keep secondary school

According to the official information received by regional representatives of the Belarusian Helsinki Committee, Luniniec District Executive Committee decided to liquidate secondary school №3 in Mikaševičy “with the aim of spending the budget means with the maximum benefit”.

10.07.2015 Deputy Chair of Belarusian Social Democratic Party questions constitutionality of decree on social dependency

Deputy Chair of the Belarusian Social Democratic party (Hramada), Ihar Barysau asks the Constitutional Court to check the legality of Presidnetial Decree №3 «On prevention of social dependency".

10.07.2015 Babrujsk: elections start without surprises, electoral teams are being formed

The electoral campaign in Babrujsk was launched quietly, without any surprises. The local opposition parties and their branches have already determined their pretenders for candidates and are forming the electoral teams (initiative groups).

10.07.2015 Mahilioŭ City Council ignores the collective appeals of citizens

At the end of May about 6.5 thousand citizens sent an appeal to the local MPs, but still haven't received any response.

10.07.2015 Valiantsin Stefanovich: Six reasons why it is impossible to hold democratic, free and transparent elections in Belarus

June 30, the House of Representatives of the National Assembly of the Republic of Belarus determined the date for presidential elections - October 11, 2015.