Observatory for the Protection of Human Rights Defenders addresses Belarusian authorites on Bialiatski's arrest

The Observatory for the Protection of Human Rights Defenders, a joint programme of the International  Federation  for  Human  Rights  (FIDH)  and  the  World  Organisation  Against Torture  (OMCT),  has  received  new  information  and  requests  your  intervention  in  the following situation in Belarus.

 New information:

 The Observatory has been informed of the ongoing arbitrary detention of Mr. Ales Bialatski, President of the Human Rights Centre (HRC) "Viasna" and Vice-President of FIDH.

 

According  to  the  information  received,  as  of  August  9,  2011,  Mr.  Ales  Bialatski  remained detained  in  the  detention  centre  of  the  Interior  Ministry,  located  in  Valadarski  street,  and which is known for its harsh conditions of detention.

 

The  Observatory  recalls  that  Mr.  Bialatski  was  arrested  on  August  4,  2011  by  the  police representative of the Department of Financial Investigations. 

 

On the same day, a search was carried out in Mr. Bialatski’s house. Meanwhile, the police was waiting at the offices of the HRC "Viasna", where Mr. Bialatski was to be brought just after the search of his home, for a search of the office.

 

On August 5, 2011, Mr. Bialatski was transferred to a cell within the Financial Investigation Department of the State Control Committee, before being remanded in prison for ten days in the detention centre of the Interior Ministry.

 

This detention is related to a criminal case opened against Mr. Bialatski for supposed tax evasion  under  Article  243,  part  2,  of  the  Criminal  Code  of  the  Republic  of  Belarus (“concealment of profits on an especially large scale”), which provides for up to seven years' imprisonment with confiscation of property.

 

This case was opened on the basis of information related to Mr. Bialatski's bank account at a bank in Vilnius, Lithuania, which was provided by the Lithuanian Ministry of Justice to the Belarusian authorities. The Belarusian tax authorities interpreted the amount on the account of  Mr.  Bialatski's  as  his personal income  and  accused  him  of  concealing  it.  In  reality,  this money,  which  was  transferred  by  international  organisations,  was  by  no  means  used  as personal funds but to finance the activities of the HRC "Viasna", such as assistance provided to victims of the political repression in the post-electoral context.

 

The Observatory calls for the immediate and unconditional release of Mr. Bialatski, as his arbitrary detention seems to merely aim at sanctioning his human rights activities.

 

The Observatory recalls in particular that the United Nations Declaration on Human Rights Defenders  adopted  by  the  UN  General  Assembly  on  December  9,  1998  provides  that "everyone has the right, individually and in association with others":

-  "to  promote  and  to  strive  for  the  protection  and  realization  of  human  rights  and fundamental freedoms at the national and international levels" (Article 1);

-  "to  form,  join  and  participate  in  non-governmental  organizations,  associations  or groups"  and  "to  communicate  with  non-governmental  or  intergovernmental  organizations" (Article 5(b) and (c));

- "to offer and provide professionally qualified legal assistance or other relevant advice and assistance in defending human rights and fundamental freedoms" (Article 9.3(c));

-  "to  solicit,  receive  and  utilize  resources  for  the  express  purpose  of  promoting  and protecting human rights and fundamental freedoms through peaceful means" (Article 13).

 

Background information:

 

On August 4, 2011, at around 2 p.m., a group of people in plain clothes surrounded the office of  the  HRC  "Viasna"  in  Minsk.  Members  of  the  HRC  "Viasna"  went  out  of  the  office  and locked  the  door.  They  heard  one  of  the  plain-clothes  individual  report  saying  through  his phone that "Bialtski [was] not [t]here".

 

Subsequently, at about 4.30 pm, Mr. Bialatski was arrested in the street in the city centre of Minsk by the police representative of the Department of Financial Investigations.

 

Actions requested:

 

The Observatory urges the authorities of Belarus to:

 

i.  Guarantee  in  all  circumstances  the  physical  and  psychological  integrity  of  Mr.  Ales Bialatski as well as of all human rights defenders in Belarus;

 

ii.  Release  Mr.  Ales  Bialatski  immediately  and  unconditionally  since  his  detention  is arbitrary as it seems to merely sanction his human rights activities;

 

iii.  Put  an  end  to  all forms  of harassment  against him,  and more generally  against  all human rights defenders in the country;

 

iv.  Comply  with  all  the  provisions  of  the  United  Nations Declaration  on Human  Rights

Defenders, in particular with articles mentioned above;

 

v.  More  generally,  ensure  in  all  circumstances  the  respect  for  human  rights  and fundamental  freedoms  in  accordance  with  the  Universal  Declaration  of  Human  Rights and with international and regional human rights instruments ratified by Belarus.

 

Addresses:

 

•  President Alexander Lukashenko, ul .Karla Marksa, 38, 220016 Minsk, Belarus, Fax: + 375 172 26 06 10 or + 375 172 22 38 72, Email: infogrp@president.gov.by

•  Head of the Administration of the President of Belarus, Mr. Vladimir Vladimirovich Makei, Ul. K. Marksa 34, 220016 Minsk, Fax: + 375 17 226-06-10

•  General Prosecutor, Grigory Alekseevich Vasilevich, Internatsionalnaya str. 22, 220050 Minsk, Belarus, Fax: + 375 17 226 42 52

•  Minister of Justice of Belarus, Mr. Viktor Grigorevich Golovanov, Ul. Kollektornaya, 10, 220004 Minsk, Belarus, Email kanc@minjust.by

•  President of the Supreme Court of Belarus, Mr. Valentin Olegovich Sukalo, Ul. Lenina, 28, 220030 Minsk, Belarus, Email: scjustrb@pmrb.gov.by

•  Permanent Mission of Belarus to the United Nations in Geneva, 15 avenue de la paix, 1211  Geneva  20,  Switzerland,  Fax:  +41  22  748  24  51.  Email:

mission.belarus@ties.itu.int 

•  Embassy of Belarus in Brussels, 192 avenue Moliиre, 1050 Ixelles, Belgium, Fax : + 32 2.340.02.87, Email : embbel@skynet.be

 

 

 

Please also write to the diplomatic mission or embassy of Belarus in your respective country.

 

***

Paris-Geneva, August 9, 2011

 

Kindly inform us of any action undertaken quoting the code of this appeal in your reply.