The Human Rights Center “Viasna”

News for July 2018

30.07.2018 Trial opens in trade union leaders’ tax-evasion case

The Court of Saviecki district of Minsk began today hearing the charges against Henadz Fiadynich, leader of the independent trade union of radio-electronic industry (REP), and the trade inion’s accountant Ihar Komlik. The activists are charged with large-scale tax-evasion (Part 2, Art. 243 of the Criminal Code).

27.07.2018 Picks of the week

Freedom of expression is still severely curtailed in Belarus. This includes repressions against journalists and vocal critics of the regime.

26.07.2018 Death row prisoner Ihar Hershankou loses 18 kilos on hunger strike

Ihar Hershankou started his hunger strike on June 27 to protest violations of his right to correspondence, after all his complaints, including to the Prosecutor General, the Department of Corrections and Belarus’s envoy to the UN, as well as many letters to relatives, failed not reach their destinations.

24.07.2018 LGBT people subject to illegal police profiling

Last Friday night, July 21, police broke into an LGBT club in Minsk, Burlesque. Earlier, the place was raided on June 29. In both incidents, the guests were not arrested. But the visitors’ IDs were checked and the police asked them about their current employers.

23.07.2018 Amnesty International: Iranian in Belarus at risk of imminent deportation, faces death penalty in home country

Iranian citizen Mehrdad Jamshidian, who suffers from acute ill-health, was detained on 14 June in Belarus. He is at imminent risk of deportation to Iran, where he may be subjected to torture and the death penalty for ‘apostasy’ and murder accusations.

20.07.2018 Picks of the week

LGBTQ activist fined for speaking back to homophobic statements by Interior Minister; Viasna volunteer loses compensation trial for illegal arrest; opposition activists continue picketing controversial restaurant

19.07.2018 Civil Rights Defenders: Situation for Independent Journalists Reaches New Low in Belarus

Belarusian journalists Volha Czajczyc and Andrei Kozel were recently prosecuted and threatened with heavy fines and loss of property because of their journalistic activities and cooperation with the independent TV channel Belsat. Civil Rights Defenders urges Belarus to ensure the safety of Volha Czajczyc, Andrei Kozel and all other independent journalists in the country.

18.07.2018 Human rights defenders call to drop criminal charges against BelaPAN director

Statement on the criminal prosecution of Ales Lipai, director of the BelaPAN news agency, and pressure on journalists in Belarus

17.07.2018 Human rights activists urge President to pardon political prisoner Mikhail Zhamchuzhny

A number of Belarusian human rights organizations have signed a petition to President Lukashenka, asking him to pardon political prisoner Mikhail Zhamchuzhny and release him from prison.

17.07.2018 Belarus: New low as authorities slap solo LGBTI protester with fine for ‘mass’ protest

The Belarusian authorities have hit an absurd new low in persecuting peaceful LGBTI activists, Amnesty International said today after a court in Minsk found Viktoria Biran guilty of violating a mass public assemblies law for posing alone for a photo with a poster.

17.07.2018 Trial of trade union leaders set for July 30

The trial of Henadz Fiadynich and Ihar Komlik, leader and chief accountant of the REP trade union, has been scheduled for July 30 at the court of Saviecki district of Minsk, palitviazni.info said quoting Komlik.

16.07.2018 Belarus Refuses Asylum For Uzbek Transgender Woman

Belarusian authorities have refused asylum to a transgender woman from Uzbekistan and who says she will face torture and abuse if she goes back.

16.07.2018 UN Human Rights Committee registers complaint of death convict Hershankou

On July 13, the UN Human Rights Committee confirmed the registration of an individual communication submitted on behalf of Ihar Hershankou, who was sentenced to death by the Mahilioŭ Regional Court on July 21, 2017.

13.07.2018 Picks of the week

Prison authorities still block mail from political prisoner Mikhail Zhamchuzhny; Russian police arrest Belarusian anarchist on dubious grounds; 181 professions are banned for women in Belarus

11.07.2018 PEN America: Sign petition for the release of Oleg Sentsov

PEN America has prepared a letter to US President Donald Trump asking him to “raise the critical issue of the growing number of political prisoners held in Russia” during his discussions with President Vladimir Putin at the summit scheduled for July 16 in Helsinki, Finland.