The Human Rights Center “Viasna”

News for August 2015

19.08.2015 Yauhen Vaskovich’s mother: “Son is well, we hope for a quick release”

Rushaniya Vaskovich, mother of political prisoner Yauhen Vaskovich, has told mahilyowspring.org that she received a letter from her son.

19.08.2015 Slonim officials ban rally in support of political prisoners

Activists of the Belarusian Christian Democracy’s organizing committee in Slonim filed on July 14 an application for an information picket in support of Belarusian political prisoners.

19.08.2015 Ban on prisoners’ electoral rights groundless, say human rights defenders

As part of the campaign "Human Rights Defenders for Free Elections", lawyer Pavel Sapelka analyzes the issue of unjustified restriction of the right to participate in elections imposed on prisoners and people held in custody awaiting trial.

18.08.2015 Mahilioŭ: People sign for Lukashenka even without passports

It turned out during the collection of signatures in a dormitory of the Transmaš enterprise where activist Aliaksei Paulouski was collecting signatures for Tatsiana Karatkevich, mahilyowspring.org reports.

18.08.2015 Autukhovich appeals against extention of preventive supervision

Former political prisoner Mikalai Autukhovich addressed to the Hrodna Regional Court with a private complaint.

18.08.2015 Mahilou-based journalist wants police to return his notebook

Ihar Barysau filed a complaint to the chief of Mahilou's Kastrychnitski district police on August 17.

17.08.2015 Analytical report on the results of weekly observation: August 10-17

Observation of the presidential elections of the Republic of Belarus is carried out by activists of the Belarusian Helsinki Committee and the Human Rights Center "Viasna" in the framework of the campaign "Human Rights Defenders for Free Elections".

17.08.2015 Viasna: Persons detained in graffiti case are new political prisoners

The Human Rights Center "Viasna" calls to stop the prosecution under Part 2, Art. 339 of the Criminal Code ("malicious hooliganism") of Viachaslau Kasinerau, Yaraslau Ulyianenkau, as well as Maksim Piakarski and Vadzim Zharomski, and demands their immediate release from custody.

17.08.2015 Member of Anatol Liabedzka nomination group seeks equal conditions in media coverage

Mikalai Ulasevich, a member of the nomination group of Anatol Liabedzka, has sent a letter to the Smarhoń district executive committee and the local government-run newspaper Svietly Šliach, asking to cover the nomination activities by the contender’s campaign team.

17.08.2015 Officials ban picket against poverty in Baranavičy

The Baranavičy city executive committee has not allowed local trade union activist Ryhor Hryk to hold a picket against poverty and low salaries of workers and pensioners, which he planned to stage on August 22. A written response signed by Deputy Mayor Dzmitry Kastsiukevich says that the stated purpose of the picket is not true.

17.08.2015 Websites of local newspapers in Hrodna region cover Lukashenka nomination pickets only

The websites of local government-owned newspapers in the Hrodna region have been actively covering the activities of the nomination group for the incumbent Aliaksandr Lukashenka. In particular, the website of the Astravieckaja Praŭda (a government-run newspaper in the district of Astraviec) has posted six publications in just two weeks.

17.08.2015 Members of Tatsiana Karatkevich nomination team detained in Mahilioŭ

Valiantsina Shchetnikava and Ales Shautsou were collecting signatures at Mahilioŭ’s Vilienski market in support of presidential contender Tatsiana Karatkevich. The picket was attended by Mrs. Karatkevich, who talked to local residents for nearly half an hour. However, after her departure, the problems started.

17.08.2015 Prison censors hold letters to Mikalai Statkevich

Barys Vyrvich, a journalist in the town of Bialyničy, received on August 15 another letter from political prisoner Mikalai Statkevich, which said that instead of his latest letter the prisoner had received an empty envelope.

17.08.2015 AZERBAIJAN: Verdict against Leyla and Arif Yunus is outrageous and must be nullified

The Observatory’s trial observer in Baku reports that Leyla Yunus and Arif Yunusov have been handed 8.5 and 7 year jail sentences, respectively.

15.08.2015 Suspects in case of Belarusian-language are neither charged, nor released

At about 7 p.m. on August 14, the persons who had been detained in the case of Belarusian-language graffiti, were to have been either released or presented charges. However, neither of has happened.