The Human Rights Center “Viasna”

14.06.2012 Valiantsin Stefanovich put on black list by “technical failure”

It took more than three months for the citizenship and migration department at the Ministry of Internal Affairs to admit that Valiantsin Stefanovich was put on the travel ban list by mistake.

12.06.2012 Minsk City Court refuses to punish Judge Siamak

In March the deputy head of the Human Rights Center "Viasna" Valiantsin Stefanovich was put on the list of the people who are temporary prohibited to travel abroad.

11.06.2012 Sannikau's lawyer appeals foreign travel restrictions

Lawyer Maryna Kavaleuskaya filed complaints to the Prosecutor General's Office and the Ministry of Internal Affairs at the actions by the Ministry of Internal Affairs and Ministry of Defence in connection with a travel ban imposed on her.

07.06.2012 Sannikau’s lawyer banned from leaving Belarus

Maryna Kavaleuskaya, a lawyer of the former political prisoner, was banned from leaving Belarus.

15.05.2012 Front Line Defenders protests against travel ban to human rights defenders

The international foundation for the protection of human rights defenders Front Line Defenders issued a protest statement concerning the unlawful travel ban to Aleh Hulak, Hary Pahaniaila and Valiantsin Stefanovich.

04.05.2012 Stefanovich demands that investigative committee bring a criminal case concerning unlawful travel restrictions

On 4 May the deputy head of the Human Rights Center “Viasna” Valiantsin Stefanovich applied to the Investigative Committee of the Republic of Belarus with the demand to bring a criminal case.

02.05.2012 Valiantsin Stefanovich still receives runarounds concerning unlawful foreign travel restrictions

The date of the consideration of the appeal of the human rights defender Valiantsin Stefanovich against the unlawful foreign travel restrictions still hasn't been appointed, though the legal term for the consideration of the appeal ended on 26 April. The chancellery of the Tsentralny District Court of Minsk doesn't give any distinct answers. Moreover, the same happened to the analogical appeals of the Chairman of the Belarusian Helsinki Committee Aleh Hulak and the head of the United Civil Party Anatol Liabezka. All these appeals were to have been considered by Judge Alena Semak.

30.04.2012 Lithuanian MP not allowed in Belarus

A member of the Lithuanian Parliament, Kazimieras Uoka, was ordered to get off the train and return to Vilnius.

24.04.2012 Member of Polish Senate denied entry into Belarus

A member of Poland’s Senate was not allowed to enter Belarus on April 22.

20.04.2012 Canadian politologist denied visa to Belarus

David Marples, a famous Canadian politologist and researcher of Belarus have been denied a visa by the Belarusian authorities.

18.04.2012 Russian human rights defender Gefter: It is absolutely intolerable to prevent citizens from going abroad without good grounds

“People cannot be restricted in their right to travel abroad, expect for the cases when the decision has been enforced by a court,’ says Valentin Gefter, Director of the Institute of Human Rights, Member of the Presidential Council for the Promotion of Civil Society and Human Rights, in his interview with the web-site of the Human Rights Center “Viasna”.

18.04.2012 Appeals by “travel banned” politicians dismissed

The Court of the Vitebsk Region upheld verdicts against Lyabedzka, Kalyakin and Atroshchankau.

12.04.2012 Stefanovich's complaints are still forwarded to Ministry of Defense

On 11 March the vice-head of the Human Rights Center "Viasna" Valiantsin Stefanovich was prevented from leaving for Lithuania. He was stopped by the Belarusian border guards at the crossing point "Kamenny Loh" and stated that he was prohibited to leave Belarus.