The Human Rights Center “Viasna”

01.04.2013 Why are detainees kept in jail at weekends?

Brest human rights defender Raman Kisliak filed appeals to the Minister of Interior of Belarus, Ihar Shunevich, and the head of the Supreme Court, Valiantsin Sukala, asking to provide "prompt delivery of administrative detainees to courts for trials".

27.03.2013 Supreme Court to consider compulsory security measures and medical treatment

The Plenum of the Supreme Court of Belarus, scheduled for March 28, will for the first time be dedicated to judicial issues related to the use of coercive measures of security and medical treatment in the criminal justice proceedings, the BelaPAN news agency reports, quoting the Supreme Court’s spokeswoman Maryia Lapo.

15.03.2013 Constitution of Belarus was adopted 19 years ago

Today, Belarus celebrates a national holiday, Constitution Day.

15.03.2013 Members of Brest City Council are urged to publish their contact information for electors

The heads of Brest branches of political parties and civil associations filed an appropriate appeal to the head of Brest City Council Henadz Masko.

15.03.2013 Vitsebsk dwellers demand publicity in "budget issue"

Aliaksandr Mikulin, an activist of 'Tell the Truth", and Anatol Hneuka, the head of Vitsebsk regional branch of the National organization of victims of accident at Chernobyl NPP, veteran of the Belarusian Social Democratic Party (Hramada) filed a letter to Vitsebsk City Council and Vitsebsk City Executive Committee, asking to publish information about the city budget for 2013 and distribution of the budget means at the website of the executive committee.

02.03.2013 Baranavichy: human rights defender applies to Constitutional Court

Human rights defender Siarhei Housha asks the court to initiate amendment of the Process-Executive Code referring to his own experience.

17.02.2013 The law may require apology for illegal administrative conviction

The House of Representatives hosted a meeting of the Committee on Legislation, which discussed the draft law “On amendments and additions to the Code of Administrative Offences and the Procedural-Executive Code of Administrative Offences”.

13.02.2013 Brest: "Fair World" opposes the introduction of service fees in polyclinics

The Brest regional branch of the Belarusian Leftist Party "Fair World" supported the protest of the local social-democrats against the proposal to introduce a fee for visitors of polyclinics.

08.02.2013 Shklou: court reluctant to make policeman compensate court expenditures

On 6 February the Mahiliou Region Court turned down the appeal of the Shklou citizens Ina Khanrytsialiova and Serafima Yakauleva who had won at the Shklou District Court in an argument with the police officer Tadarenka. The woman asked the regional court to exact from him the money they had spent on advocatory services.

05.02.2013 Lidziya Yarmoshyna says village Soviets can be liquidated

According to the head of the Central Election Commission Lidziya Yarmoshyna the possibility of the liquidation of village and settlement Soviets was discussed at a council on amendment of the electoral legislation, held by Aliaksandr Lukashenka.

29.01.2013 The parliament will toughen the law on political parties

The House of Representatives will examine amendments to the laws on political parties and public associations.

25.01.2013 BAJ Petitions to Change Media Law in Belarus

On January 22 Zhanna Litvina and Andrei Bastunets referred BAJ’s recommendations on the “Law on mass media” to representatives of the National Assembly.

17.01.2013 Mahiliou court issues invalid answers

According to independent trade union activist Aliaksei Paulouski, the response issued by Mahiliou Leninski District Court to his appeal is legally invalid, as it has no registration code and the date of issuance.

10.12.2012 Lukashenka makes it harder for workers to leave woodworking plants

Aliaksandr Lukashenka, by a presidential decree issued on 7 December, ruled that employees of woodworking plants may not quit their job without the employer`s permission before the expiry of their labor contract.