Weekly review of post-election situation in Belarus (18-24 April)
The 11 April terrorist act in Minsk metro was followed by increasing harassment of independent mass media: prosecuting and executive authorities addressed warnings to individual journalists and editorial boards of several media. Public media launched a campaign of discrediting against independent mass media. In these circumstances, the Belarusian Association of Journalists released a statement entitled “Stop Persecution of Our Colleagues!” Another person was reported as involved in the mass riot criminal case – Vital Stazharau. The dates of trials of 11 defendants in the 19 December 2010 case were appointed. On 19 April, activists of the “Nash Dom” civil campaign Valery Shchukin, Aleh Barshcheuski, Pavel Levinau and Pavel Staneuski were preventively detained and later sentenced to administrative arrests. Another activist Volha Karach was fined. The authorities banned all events marking the 25th anniversary of Chernobyl disaster.
Violations of freedom of speech
Between 12 and 19 April, the General Prosecutor’s Office, the Ministry of Information and the KGB addressed 9 warnings to separate journalists and editorial boards. Public media, including Narodnaya Gazeta and Respublika newspapers, were involved in a campaign of discrediting independent journalists, later followed by local periodicals across Belarus.
On 18 April, Nasha Niva editor-in-chief Andrei Skurko was interrogated by the KGB. As a result, he was warned for disclosing case materials, relating to the 11 April Minsk blast. On 19 April, Nasha Niva received another warning from the General Prosecutor’s Office for a publication, where a former military colonel said the explosion could have been staged by pro-government forces.
On 19 April, Siarhei Niarouny, editor-in-chief of the Volny Horad Krychau local newspaper, was officially warned by the prosecuting authorities for criticism of state officials’ actions following the Minsk metro blast.
On 20 April, the Ministry of Information addressed a warning to the ARCHE magazine for failure to state the editor-in-chief’s patronymic name in the magazine’s output data, as well as a number of other minor errors.
On 14 April, Anatol Sanatsenka, editor of the Babruiski Kurier newspaper, was summoned for “a conversation” to local prosecutor’s office. However, he refused to do so without an official writ. On 18 April, Mr. Sanatsenka received an official warning by post; the warning was said to be linked to his blast-related publication in a blog at www.belaruspartizan.org.
On 20 April, the Belarusian Association of Journalists released a statement entitled “Stop Persecution of Our Colleagues!”
On 21 April, Minsk police detained BelaPAN cameraman Pavel Padabed, who was released an hour later.
On 21 April, Mahiliou Regional Court dismissed a complaint by BelaPAN news agency reporter Uladzimir Laptsevich against an earlier decision by Leninski District Court, which sentenced him to 7 days of administrative arrest for alleged resisting arrest on 28 March.
On 22 April, journalist Andrzej Poczobut was allowed to have a meeting with his wife. Mr. Poczobut said he had been visited by a prosecutor, who insisted on the journalist’s confession of guilt, which he refused.
Hronda Regional Prosecutor’s Office released a reply to a collective appeal by BAJ local members, saying that “the persons who lodged a statement on the criminal charges brought against Mr. Poczobut are not involved in the process and their interests are not affected by the investigation into the case.” Thus, another run-around reply was received.
Politically motivated prosecution
Another person – Vital Stazharau – was named as involved in the mass riot case. He was forced to leave Belarus shortly after the presidential election. On 7 February his residence was searched. CDs and books were seized.
Moscow activists of the Solidarnost movement staged daily pickets outside the Foreign Ministry office, calling on Minister Sergey Lavrov to release a statement on the arrest of Fiodar Mirzayanau, the son of Russian citizen Rim Mirzayanau. The pickets are expected to be continued, unless the MFA confirms attendance of Russian diplomats in the defendant’s trial.
Minsk City Court extended the house arrest of journalist Iryna Khalip, the wife of former presidential candidate Andrei Sannikau, till 13 May.
The dates of trials of a number of persons involved in the 19 December post-election protest were announced. Zmitser Bandarenka, coordinator of the European Belarus campaign, facing charges under Par. 1 Art. 342 of the Criminal Code (organization and preparation of actions that grossly violate public order, or active participation in them), is to stand trial on 26 April at Minsk Pershamaiski District Court.
Five more protesters are to be tried on 27 April at Minsk Kastrychnistki District Court. On the same day, Judge Natallia Chatsvertakova is going to hear the cases of Andrei Sannikau, Illia Vasilevich, Aleh Hnedchyk, Fiodar Mirzayanau and Uladzimir Yaromenak.
Detentions and administrative sentences to opposition activists
On 19 April, a meeting of the Nash Dom civil campaign marking the birthday of journalist and human rights defender Valery Shchukin ended in the arrests and convictions of its participants. 18 persons were detained. However, only four of them stood trial and were convicted of disorderly conduct by Minsk Frunzenski District Court. Volha Karach was fined BYR 700,000, Aleh Barshcheuski and human rights defender Pavel Levinau were sentenced to 10 days of arrest each. Moreover, Pavel Levinau was charged with involvement in the 11 April terrorist act. The trial of Hronda activist Pavel Staneuski was accompanied by numerous inaccuracies in the testimonies provided by the police witnesses. As a result, the case was sent for reconsideration and the defendant was released. However, Mr. Staneuski was detained while leaving the courtroom and sentenced to 8 days of arrest on the following day.
Vitsebsk activist of the Conservative Christian Party of the Belarusian Popular Front Siarhei Kavalenka was once again arrested. He was taken to local detention center to serve 12 more days of administrative arrest awarded to him in March. The activist is said to have declared a hunger strike in protest at the illegal verdict.
On 20 April, Young Front activist Uladzimir Shulzhytski was summoned to Smarhon District Prosecutor’s Office as a witness in the 11 April metro blast case. His apartment was searched for two times. Several air weapons and knives, together with a PC were seized. The activist had to spend the following day in local KGB office.
Harassment of human rights defenders
On 20 April, Belarusian border troops detained Ukrainian human rights defender Marina Tsapok, as she was going to Minsk as representative of the International Observation Mission of the Committee on International Control over the Situation with Human Rights in Belarus.
Another human rights defender, deputy chair of the All-Ukrainian Youth Organization “Foundation of Regional Initiatives” and member of the Public Council at the Ukrainian MFA Mikail Kamenev was declared a non grata person by the Belarusian authorities. On 21 April, he was detained while going to Minsk as information aide to the International Observation Mission. The International Observation Mission of the Committee on International Control over the Situation with Human Rights in Belarus released a statement on Belarus’ violation of OSCE obligations on facilitating human rights activities in the filed of human dimension.
Restrictions on freedom of peaceful assembly
On 19 April, Minsk authorities banned a traditional demonstration marking the anniversary of Chernobyl disaster. Opposition activists were only allowed holding a meeting in Bangalore Square.
On 21 April, the organizing committee of the Chernobyl Shliakh demonstration were not allowed holding a press-conference in Minsk Arbita hotel.
Executive authorities banned pickets marking the 25th anniversary of Chernobly disaster across Belarus. On 22 April, Hronda city executive committee banned a Chernobyl picket. In their ban, Babruisk authorities argues that the event applicants belonged to unregistered NGOs. Similar bans were issued by local authorities in Salihorsk, Baranavichy and Homel.
Restrictions on freedom of association
On 22 April, Minsk City Economic Court heard a claim by the city’s housing department against the Belarusian Popular Front, who is facing eviction of its central office in downtown Minsk. The Belarusian PEN-Center initiated a campaign for protecting the BPF office, as “an island of freedom and art.”
