The Human Rights Center “Viasna”

News for 5 Aug 2015

05.08.2015 Pavel Sapelka: Mikalai Autukhovich was actually deprived of the right to defense

Predictably enough, the panel of judges announced that the trial would continue at 2 p.m., and if the lawyer wouldn't manage to come, he will be replaced with a state counsel.

05.08.2015 An action in support of political prisoners held in Hrodna

Human rights activists from the Human Rights Center “Viasna” and the Belarusian Helsinki Committee held an informational action in support of political prisoners on August 4.

05.08.2015 Witnesses Finished Speaking at Trial of Leyla and Arif Yunus

The trial of Leyla Yunus was concluded by the witnesses on August 4.

05.08.2015 Last country in Europe

Independent Russian on-line magazine "7x7" has joined the International Day of Solidarity with civil society of Belarus, by covering the issue which remains valid for only our country in whole Europe – the death penalty.

05.08.2015 Picket of solidarity with political prisoners held in Brest

The action was carried out by members of the initiative group for nomination of Siarhei Kaliakin a candidate for presidency, as well as by activists of the Trade Union of Radio Electronic Industry.

05.08.2015 Journalist Uladzimir Laptsevich files a supervisory appeal to Supreme Court

In October 2014 the journalist stopped being let to the sittings of Mahilioŭ Regional Council. During a personal audience the head of the council Anatol Isachanka told Mr. Laptsevich that he wasn't let to the sittings as he was absent in the “lists of the invited persons”.

05.08.2015 Minsk, “Amkodor”: people who aren't members of Lukashenka's electoral team, are told to collect signatures in his support

The company's employees have reported that the ideologist of the enterprise had summoned an officer of each structural subdivision, and handed them signature sheets so that they would start collecting signatures in support of the nomination of the candidacy of Aliaksandr Lukashenka.

05.08.2015 Modern technologies are used for collecting signatures (photos)

"Human Rights Defenders for Free Elections" have received an E-mail with contained information about using the service of internal messages of the Belarusian State Institute of Standardization and Certification to organize the collection of signatures for the incumbent President.

05.08.2015 Monitoring report on the picket on August 4, dedicated to political prisoners and disappeared politicians

August 4, 2015 in Minsk a picket dedicated to the issue of political prisoners and missing politicians, organized by the United Civil Party, was held on Niezaliežnasć Avenue in Minsk, near the monument to Felix Dzerzhinsky.

05.08.2015 Action of solidarity with political prisoners in Baranavičy

On August 4, the International Day of Solidarity with civil society of Belarus, Baranavičy human rights defenders and social activists, held an information campaign to inform about the presence of political prisoners in Belarus: Ihar Alinevich, Mikalai Dziadok, Artsiom Prakapenka, Yury Rubtsou, Mikalai Statkevich and Yauhen Vaskovich, - and demand their release.

05.08.2015 Karma district newspaper tells readers about campaigning for Lukashenka

Though campaigning during the collection of signatures for the nomination of candidacies for the election is banned, Karma state-owned newspaper tells its readers about a "hot campaigning to support the candidacy of Aliaksandr Lukashenka" at the electoral pickets that are held by his electoral team.

05.08.2015 Minsk: picket in support of political prisoners held in front of KGB

On August 4, the International Day of Solidarity with civil society in Belarus, Belarusian human rights defenders and civil society activists held a picket in support of political prisoners and in the memory of the missing opponents of the regime: Viktar Hanchar, Anatol Krasouski, Yury Zakharanka and Dzmitry Zavadski.