Human rights activists urge Supreme Court and Prosecutor General's Office to discuss situation with illegal preventive detentions of civil society activists

Prosecutor General of the Republic of Belarus

Aliaksandr Kaniuk

22 vul. Internatsyianalnaya, 220030, Minsk

Chairman of the Supreme Court of the Republic of Belarus

Valiantsin Sukala

28 vul. Lenina, 220030, Minsk

APPEAL

We, Belarusian human rights activists, are writing to you, heads of government bodies in charge of supervising the rule of law in the country and the legality of judicial decisions.

In recent years in Belarus on a regular basis ahead of mass events or arrivals of high-ranking officials of foreign countries there have been numerous arbitrary detentions of civil society activists and representatives of youth opposition groups. They are usually accused of disorderly conduct, and then on the testimony of the police courts punish them with administrative arrests. It is evident that such methods are used to preventively isolate the activists at the time of certain socio-political events.

In particular, Ivan Amelchanka, Raman Vasilyeu, Dzmitry Kremianetski, Uladzimir Yaromenak and Mikalai Dzemidzenka were sentenced to administrative arrests ahead of the arrival of Vladimir Putin in Minsk (May 31, 2012). Vital Vasilkou, Ivan Amelchanka, Pavel Vinahradau and Aliaksandr Artsybashau were arrested on the eve of the national holiday of Independence Day (July 3, 2012). Katsiaryna Halitskaya, Raman Vasilyeu, Uladzimir Yaromenak, Ivan Amelchanka, Andrey Ozharovsky, Tatsiana Novikava, Irina Sukhiy and Mikhail Matskevich were convicted ahead of Dmitry Medvedev’s visit (July 18, 2012).

The practice of detentions that constitute a flagrant violation of the rights of Belarusian citizens guaranteed by the Constitution of the Republic of Belarus and the country’s international human rights commitments has become systemic and must be qualified as arbitrary detentions. These actions are contrary to the principles of the rule of law, involving police officers and judges in political persecution of citizens.

We are asking you to arrange a meeting with the Prosecutor General of the Republic of Belarus and Chairman of the Supreme Court of the Republic of Belarus to discuss the situation and prevent illegal practices and bring the perpetrators to justice.

Aleh Hulak, chairman of the Belarusian Helsinki Committee

Valiantsin Stefanovich, deputy chairman of the HRC "Viasna"

Ina Kulei, chair of the Committee for the Protection of the Repressed "Solidarity"

Alena Tankachova, chair of the Centre for Legal Transformation

Raisa Mikhailouskaya, chair of the Center for Human Rights

APPENDIX

During the first half of 2012 administrative sentences under Article 17.1 of the Administrative Code ("disorderly conduct") affected the following persons:

Ivan Amelchanka: administrative arrests; 15/05/2012 - the court of Leninski district of Minsk; 25/05/2012 - the court of Maskouski district of Minsk (without being released from prison); 26/06/2012, 11/07/2012, 17/07/2012, 29/07/2012 – the court of Leninski district of Minsk;

Pavel Vinahradau: administrative arrests; 30/12/2011, 21/02/2012, 02/03/2012 – the court of Maskouski district of Minsk; 24/04/2012 – the court of Savetski district of Minsk; 21/06/2012 - the court of Tsentralny district of Minsk;

Raman Vasilyeu: administrative arrests; 21/02/2012 – the court of Vitsebsk district; 26/04/2012 – the court of Savetski district of Minsk; 14/05/2012 - the court of Tsentralny district of Minsk; 26/05/2012 - the court of Maskouski district of Minsk; 17/07/2012 - the court of Kastrychnitski district of Minsk;

Uladzimir Yaromenak: administrative arrests; 21/02/2012 - the court of Vitsebsk district; 27/04/2012 - the court of Savetski district of Minsk; 16/05/2012 - the court of Frunzenski district of Minsk; 23/05/2012 - the court of Maskouski district of Minsk; 17/07/2012 - the court of Kastrychnitski district of Minsk;

Mikalai Dzemidzenka: administrative arrests; 26/04/2012 - the court of Savetski district of Minsk; 14/05/2012 - the court of Tsentralny district of Minsk;

Mikhail Muski: administrative arrests; 21/02/2012 - the court of Vitsebsk district; 07/04/2012 - the court of Leninski district of Minsk; 26/04/2012 - the court of Savetski district of Minsk; 11/05/2012 - the court of Maskouski district of Minsk;

Pavel Siarhei: administrative arrests; 16/05/2012, 21/04/2012 – the court of Frunzenski district of Minsk;

Dzmitry Kremianetski: administrative arrests; 21/02/2012 – the court of Vitsebsk district; 07/04/2012 – the court of Leninski district of Minsk; 27/04/2012 - the court of Savetski district of Minsk; 14/05/2012 - the court of Tsentralny district of Minsk; 24/05/2012 - the court of Maskouski district of Minsk;

Katsiaryna Halitskaya: administrative arrest; 17/07/2012 - the court of Maskouski district of Minsk;

Vital Vasilkou: administrative arrest; 30/06/2012 - the court of Frunzenski district of Minsk;

Andrey Ozharovsky, administrative arrest; 18/07/2012 - the court of Maskouski district of Minsk;

Tatsiana Novikava: administrative arrest; 18/07/2012 - the court of Maskouski district of Minsk;

Irina Sukhiy: fine; 18/07/2012 - the court of Tsentralny district of Minsk;

Mikhail Matskevich: administrative arrest; 18/07/2012 - the court of Tsentralny district of Minsk.