Human rights books seized by customs officers

A number of books covering human rights issues were taken from Aliaksandr Hanevich, while crossing the state border of Belarus last Thursday, November 19. The customs officers seized several copies of “De-facto Implementation of International Human Rights Standards: The Experience of Belarusian ILIA Program Alumni”, a book by Ales Bialiatski “Enlightened by Belarusianness” (published by the HRC "Viasna"), a book by Valery Hrytsuk “My Fight”; a book "The Death Penalty in Belarus" and a brochure "Pervasive Violations of Labor Rights and Forced Labor in Belarus" (both published by the HRC "Viasna").

The books are expected to examined by customs experts.

Earlier, Ales Bialiatski’s collection of essays “Enlightened by Belarusianness” was examined by the Belarusian customs officers. In early July 2013, the Ašmiany Customs confiscated 40 copies of the book from Tatsiana Reviaka, member of the Board of the Human Rights Center "Viasna". On February 11, 2014, the Ašmiany District Court rejected the results of a customs examination, although ruled to re-export the books to the territory of Lithuania.