The Human Rights Center “Viasna”

News for July 2015

16.07.2015 The investigation of Yury Zakharanka's disappearance extended

Preliminary investigation of the missing of the ex-Minister of internal Affairs is extended until September 24.

16.07.2015 Collection of signatures banned across Viciebsk district

The Viciebsk district executive committee has announced the places which will be prohibited for holding pickets to collect signatures for the nomination of presidential candidates.

16.07.2015 Trial Date Set For Rights Activists Leyla, Arif Yunus In Azerbaijan

BAKU -- Jailed Azerbaijani human rights advocates Leyla and Arif Yunus will go on trial on July 27, a judge said at a preliminary hearing nearly a year after their arrest on what the ailing couple and their supporters say are politically motivated charges.

16.07.2015 Brest officials announce forbidden campaigning locations

The list of venues where campaigning for the nomination of presidential candidates will be forbidden includes Lenin Square; the territory of the Brest Fortress memorial complex and railway facilities.

16.07.2015 Baranavičy: 3 pro-dem activists nominated to city election commission

So far, only two representatives of democratic parties and one NGO member have been nominated to the territorial election commission in Baranavičy.

16.07.2015 Babrujsk: Fair World members prefer territorial commissions

After selecting their nominees, the political parties active in Babrujsk are now deciding whether they should be nominated to the territorial or precinct election commissions.

15.07.2015 Do Belarusian citizens have the right to boycott elections?

A number of issues related to the upcoming elections was discussed at today's meeting of the management of the Central Election Commission (CEC) and the representatives of the assessment mission of the OSCE ODIHR.

15.07.2015 Educational institutions of Brest join intimidation of local activists

At first Palina and Andrei Sharenda were summoned to the prosecutor's office. Later, representatives of the education department of the local executive committee tried to get into their apartment in order to find in what conditions they were upbringing their 6-year-old son.

15.07.2015 Babrujsk: approach of the elections is unnoticeable

In Babruisk, there seems to be no interest to the presidential election at all, also among the local media. There are no electoral posters and banners on the streets, which could inform Babrujskers about the beginning of the electoral campaign.

15.07.2015 Authorities list sites prohibited for collecting signatures to nominate candidates for presidency in Minsk

Minsk City Executive Committee has determined the places banned for picketing in order to collect voters' signatures for nomination of candidates for President of the Republic of Belarus in Minsk.

Valiantsin Stefanovich: provisions of Electoral Code of Belarus prohibiting boycott are contrary to CIS Convention "On standards of democratic elections, electoral rights and freedoms"

15.07.2015 Valiantsin Stefanovich: provisions of Electoral Code of Belarus prohibiting boycott are contrary to CIS Convention "On standards of democratic elections, electoral rights and freedoms"

In its report on the results of the observation of the first week of the presidential election campaign, the public election observation campaign "Human Rights Defenders for Free Elections" has already noted that the provisions of the Electoral Code that prohibit calling for a boycott of the elections are contrary to the Convention of the Commonwealth of Independent States "On Standards of Democratic Elections, Electoral Rights and Freedoms".

15.07.2015 Baranavičy: Mikalai Charnavus not inlcuded in electoral team of Aliaksandr Lukashenka

June 30, Baranavičy entrepreneur and social activist Mikalai Charnavus filed an appeal to Baranavičy City Executive Committee, asking to include him and four more people in the electoral team of the incumbent president, Aliaksandr Lukashenka.

15.07.2015 Media space of Salihorsk district is quiet despite elections

Salihorsk human rights activists speak of the pre-election lull in the media landscape of the region.

15.07.2015 Former CEO of "Kryčaŭcamientašyfier" jailed, questions remain

In the evening of July 14, Kryčaŭ District Court issued a verdict in the case of the former Director General of "Kryčaŭcamientašyfier" (“Krychau cement and slate plant”) Leanid Skotski. He was punished by 10 years imprisonment in the colony with confiscation of property and the five-year prohibition to hold executive positions associated with the control and administrative functions.

15.07.2015 Hrodna: political parties are completing nomination to territorial commissions

Hrodna branches of the democratic parties that nominate their candidates for the presidential election or support the nomination, complete direction of their representatives to the territorial election commissions.