The Human Rights Center “Viasna”

News for July 2015

27.07.2015 CEC launches official website ‘Elections-2015’

An official website “Elections-2015” has been launched on July 23, the Central Election Commission said.

27.07.2015 Be United!

An appeal by Viasna leader Ales Bialiatski

26.07.2015 Supreme Court rejects supervisory appeal by BPF deputy head

On July 23, Ryhor Kastusiou, deputy chairman of the Belarusian Popular Front Party, received an answer from the Supreme Court of Belarus to his appeal filed as part of supervisory procedures.

26.07.2015 Brest Regional Court turns down appeal in Yury Rubtsou case

On July 24, the Brest Regional Court rejected the appeal of political prisoner Yury Rubtsou against a decision of the Pružany District Court, leaving the two-year sentence unchanged. The activist, who was serving a sentence in a correctional facility of open type in the village Kuplin, Pružany district, was accused of evasion from serving the punishment of restraint of liberty (Art. 415 of the Criminal Code).

26.07.2015 Report on monitoring the formation of territorial election commissions

"Human Rights Defenders for Free Elections" have conducted the monitoring and analysis of the formation of territorial election commissions for the presidential elections, the results of which have been used to prepare a report.

24.07.2015 Minsk resident detained for proposal to crown Lukashenka

Mikalai Lusta, an activist of Alternative civil group, was detained near the headquarters of the Central Election Commission in Minsk on July 24 for a one-man picket.

24.07.2015 Activists of Anatol Liabedzka’s campaign team report obstacles in collecting signatures

Today, members of the initiative group of Anatol Liabedzka, leader of the United Civil Party running for President, were not allowed to collect signatures for the registration of the UCP leader as a presidential candidate by security guards of the Minsk-based market Ždanovičy.

24.07.2015 Women in Prisons: Violations of Labor and Social Rights

Andrew Coyle, the author of a book entitled “A Human Rights Approach to Prison Management: Handbook for Prison Staff” (published by the International Centre for Prison Studies), argues that the rate of female prisoners in all prisons of the world varies between 2% and 8% of the total number of inmates. The situation of women prisoners is very different from that of men and so it should receive a separate analysis.

24.07.2015 Financial investigation department persecutes Mikalai Autukhovich

The financial investigation department for the Hrodna region tries to appeal against the not-guilty verdict for Mikalai Autukhovich.

24.07.2015 Journalist in Hlybokaje fined 4.5 million

The Hlybokaje District Court has found local freelance journalist Dzmitry Lupach guilty of violating the law on mass media - Part 2 of Article 22.9 of the Administrative Code (illegal production and distribution of media products).

24.07.2015 Baranavičy: Human rights defender appeals ban on observing formation of election commission

Human rights activist Siarhei Housha has complained to the Brest Regional Executive Committee against the district executive committee and the District Council of Deputies, which did not allow him to attend a joint meeting of the two bodies that formed the district election commission.

24.07.2015 Chief editor of independent newspaper to stand trial in Mahilioŭ

The trial of Ihar Barysau, editor-in-chief of an independent weekly called NAŠ Mahilioŭ, will take place in the Kastryčnicki District Court on July 29.

24.07.2015 Biaroza officials allow Independence Day picket for first time in 18 years

The Biaroza district executive committee has for the first time in 18 years allowed a picket that is expected to mark the anniversary of the adoption of the Declaration of Sovereignty on July 27.

23.07.2015 Homieĺ Regional Court turns down Fair World election complaint

The Homieĺ Regional Court considered today a complaint by Uladzimir Siakerka, local leader of the Belarusian Party of the Left "Fair World", against the Presidium of the Regional Executive Committee and the Regional Council of Deputies who refused to include in the regional election commission a representative of the party Viktar Khomich.

23.07.2015 Let’s mark together the Day of solidarity with civil society and human rights movement in Belarus!

August 4th is the day marked by democratic activists around the world as the Day of solidarity with civil society and human rights movement in Belarus.