News on the topic: Viasna
30.09.2009 Article 193-1 may be repealed, says Ministry of Justice
The Belarusian Ministry of Justice says the infamous Article 193-1 of the Criminal Code (illegal NGO membership) may soon be repealed. The statement was made at the OSCE annual Human Dimension Meeting in Warsaw, Poland. Representatives of Belarusian NGOs have presented their reports on the situation in the field of freedom of association in Belarus, including the application of Article 193-1 as a means of harassing members of unregistered NGOs. Valiantsin Stefanovich, lawyer of the Human Rights Center Viasna, spoke on Nasha Viasna’s registration trial at the Supreme Court on 10-12 August 2009.
24.09.2009 FIDH issues report on Viasna's registration trial
The International Federation for Human Rights has issued a report based on the organization's observation in the case of Human Rights Association Nasha Viasna versus the Ministry of Justice that was considered by the Supreme Court on 10-12 August 2009.
24.09.2009 Viasna to collect torture facts
Human Rights Center Viasna is compiling a database of tortures and other kinds of inhumane treatment used against people arrested during peaceful demonstrations, says Viasna’s lawyer Valiantsin Stefanovich. The human rights expert is sure that this must be done regardless of the probability of prosecuting those responsible for the offences. ‘We are now drawing up a complaint to be lodged with the Prosecutor’s Office, urging the officials to initiate criminal prosecution of policemen, abusing their authority. We consider the facts of beating detainees in police wagons as torture. The actions being cynically demonstrative and used systematically, we also decided to apply the Geneva-based World Organisation Against Torture (OMCT), so that it could address the issue by drawing the attention of the Belarusian Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Besides, the OMCT has good contacts with the UN Committee against Torture, which is essential to the problem, since Belarus ratified the CONVENTION AGAINST TORTURE and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment and, therefore, must show its commitment to the provisions of the treaty,’ said Mr.Stefanovich.
23.09.2009 Amnesty International addresses Lukashenka on Viasna's case
Amnesty International has written to President Alyaksandr Lukashenka of Belarus to express its concern that the human rights organization, Nasha Vyasna (Our Spring), formerly known as Vyasna, has been denied registration by the Belarusian authorities for the third time. On 12 August 2009 the Supreme Court of Belarus upheld a decision taken by the Ministry of Justice on 28 May to refuse registration to Nasha Vyasna.
22.09.2009 Brest Viasna to apply for registration again
As a result of a founding congress of the Brest Viasna human rights organization on 18 September, the NGO members arrived at a decision to apply for state registration for the fifth time. However, some of the activists say the application is likely to be turned down again.
15.09.2009 Supreme Court turned down Leanid Svetsik’s cassation complaint
The Supreme Court of Belarus refused to change the verdict to human rights activist from Vitsebsk Leanid Svetsik.
11.09.2009 Statement of Human Rights Center ‘Viasna’: Authorities again showed complete disregard of human rights
On 9 September 2009 in Minsk a peaceful action of the citizens who came to Kastrychnitskaya Square of Minsk to express their opinion concerning the participation of the Russian military forces in the joint Bealrusian-Russian military training, was dispersed with an exceptional violence.
04.09.2009 Supreme Court turned down cassation complaint against non-registration of ‘Brestskaya Viasna’
On 3 September the Supreme Court of Belarus considered cassation complaint against the non-registration of the civil association Brestskaya Viasna by the Ministry of Justice. As said by a founder of the organization Uladzimir Vialichkin, ‘the trial ended up predictably. Nobody had any illusions about it. That’s why when the pronounced the verdict: ‘The verdict of Brest oblast court is to be left without changes and the complaint is to be turned down’, for is it witnessed only that we have exhausted the means of struggle for our civil rights on the national level and have only the possibility of applying to the UN Human Rights Committee left to us.’
25.08.2009 Disrespect for Belarusian language not confirmed, says Ministry of Defence
Human rights activists Ales Bialiatski, Valiantsin Stefanovich and Uladzimir Labkovich have received a reply to their address to the Ministry of Defence, demanding to put an end to illegal persecution of youth opposition leader Franak Viachorka, currently serving in the army, on account of his using Belarusian. The reply denies any summary punishment was used against Franak Viachorka for using Belarusian, saying he was punished for ‘tactless attitude towards a superior.’
24.08.2009 FIDH expert comments on Viasna’s case (continued)
Kirill Koroteev, Mission Delegate of the International Federation for Human Rights, has commented on the case of the Human Rights Center Viasna, facing repeated refusals by the state registration bodies, as well as the situation in the field of Belarusian NGOs, in general. Mr.Koroteev attended the consideration of Viasna’s complaint at the Supreme Court on 12-17 August 2009, calling the final verdict a disgrace of Belarusian justice.
21.08.2009 FIDH expert comments on Viasna’s case
Kirill Koroteev, Mission Delegate of the International Federation for Human Rights, has commented on the case of the Human Rights Center Viasna, facing repeated refusals by the state registration bodies, as well as the situation in the field of Belarusian NGOs, in general. Mr.Koroteev attended the consideration of Viasna’s complaint at the Supreme Court on 12-17 August 2009, calling the final verdict a disgrace of Belarusian justice.
13.08.2009 Ales Bialiatski: The process of registration is of no less importance to us as human rights activists as the fact of registration.
Ales Bialiatski, elected head of the human rights organization Nasha Viasna that was denied the official registration by the Ministry of Justice of the Republic of Belarus, vice-president of the International Federation for Human Rights, sums up the process of registration and shares the plans for the future.
12.08.2009 Yury Chavusau: ‘Developments in Belarus haven’t reached even the level of 2003, when ‘Viasna’ was liquidated’
Political scientist Yury Chavusau made a comment on the decision of the Supreme Court, by which the appeal against the non-registration of the civil human rights association Nasna Viasna was turned down. He is sure that ‘this verdict witnesses only that the real developments in Belarus haven’t reached the level at which Nasha Viasna could be registered’.
12.08.2009 Supreme Court turned down appeal against non-registration of ‘Nasha Viasna’
The founders of the civil human rights association Nasha Viasna did not manage to get abolished the decision of the Ministry of Justice on the non-registration.
06.08.2009 Ales Bialiatski: ‘The attitude to human rights activists hasn’t changed since the liquidation of ‘Viasna’ till registration denial to ‘Nasha Viasna’
Belarusian human rights activist ales Bialiatski, vice-president of the International Federation for Human Rights, gives an outline of the situation of human rights defenders in Belarus during the recent years.
