The Human Rights Center “Viasna”

26.03.2013 Homel police enumerates Roma, asking about their nicknames

The staff of Savetski district police department of Homel are reportedly visiting houses and apartments of Roma residents and checking on their personal data. The policemen ask about the distinguishing characteristics of each person, and require to include not only their names, but nicknames, as well.

20.02.2013 Interior Ministry sees no discrimination in articles about Roma

Homel human rights defender Marya Klimovich received a reply to her appeal to the Interior Ministry on reported instances of discrimination of Roma people. In her appeal, the activist argued that the police newspaper “Na Strazhe” (“On Guard”) specifies the nationality of criminals, in particular Roma, which leads to discrimination based on ethnicity.

21.01.2013 Homel rights defenders re-address Minister of Internal Affairs on “Roma issue”

Homel human rights defenders Marya Klimovich and Ales Yauseyenka submitted another statement to Interior Minister Ihar Shunevich urging him to promptly address the so-called “Roma issue”. In June 2012, they filed an appeal to the Interior Minister with a request not to specify the nationality of criminals in mass media publications, so that it did not lead to discrimination based on nationality.

23.11.2012 Brest: visually impaired fight for equality

Mrs. Iryna Yurenia, chair of the Brest regional organization "BelTIZ", believes that the rehabilitation of the visually impaired is a complex problem of the entire society, so the state and public institutions should pay more attention to the issue, as the problem affects 3,000 people in Brest alone.

10.07.2012 Ministry of Internal Affairs and Ministry of Information point at each other in case of Roma discrimination

Members of the Belarusian Helsinki Committee Maryia Bahdanovich and Ales Yauseyenka have received an answer from the Ministry of Internal Affairs towards their application concerning discriminative statements in the press about Roma nationals.

22.06.2012 UN to address discrimination of women in Belarusian detention centers

The UN Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women has appointed three Special Rapporteurs to monitor the situation in Belarusian pre-trial prisons, as part of the case of Brest resident Mrs. Inha Abramava.

29.03.2012 Mahiliou court supports age discrimination in employment

Mahiliou Regional Court has upheld an earlier decision by a district court, who turned down an appeal against age discrimination lodged by local resident Vasil Lipski, after his employment contract terminated.

20.12.2011 Homel resident facing travel restrictions nine months after acquittal

On 20 December, Homel resident Yauhen Dzedushkin was not allowed to cross the Belarusian border as he was going to Vilnius.

11.07.2011 Quiet discrimination

“There are no colleges or lyceums in Belarus that provide sufficient conditions for the study of disabled people together with all others within the framework of an integrated system,” states human rights defender Alena Tankachova.

12.01.2010 Human Rights Center Viasna demands that criminal case against Ivan Mikhailau be dropped

The civil right to alternative service ensues from Article 57 of the Constitution of the Republic of Belarus. This article provides that the defense of the Republic of Belarus is a sacred duty of a Belarusian citizen. The order of the military service, the reasons and the conditions of its replacement with alternative service are determined by the law.

12.01.2010 Ivan Mikhailau faces 6 month arrest instead of alternative service

21-year-old Ivan Mikhailau is charged with draft evasion. The young man pleads innocent.

02.06.2009 Letters from activity therapy centers: how alcoholism is ‘cured’ in Belarus

In May 2009 the Belarusian government was charged to make proposals on extension of the net of activity therapy centers in Belarus, though five such centers already exist and in 2008 the number of the people who were kept there was about 4 000. But what really happens in these institutions? You can find it from the letters of those who ‘receive treatment’ there.

09.01.2009 Salihorsk: individual entrepreneurs refuse to pay rent

The administration of the two markets of Salihorsk is in panic. The overwhelming majority of entrepreneurs refuse to sign agreements with new rent costs. Instead they send to state organs collective complaints and present to the markets’ administration collective complaints.

11.12.2008 Astravets: violation report for distribution of registered newspaper

Officers of Astravets district executive committee (Hrodna oblast) composed a violation report against an opposition activist Ivan Kruk (well-known democratic activist, an organizer of resistance to construction of nuclear power plant in Astravets district).