News on the topic: detention conditions
20.08.2015 Poisoning with bleach: Torture or ‘violation of sanitary norms”?
The Investigative Committee of Belarus has quashed a decision not to institute criminal proceedings against employees of the Mahilioŭ-based penal colony No. 15, who tortured prisoner Piotr Kuchura with bleach during his confinement in the punishment cell. However, when notifying the convict, a representative of the Investigative Committee writes about a ‘violation of sanitary norms’.
31.07.2015 Supreme Court rejects appeal by political prisoner Ihar Alinevich
According to Valiantsina Alinevich, the mother of political prisoner Ihar Alinevich, she has received a letter from her son, which said that the Supreme Court has dismissed the political prisoner’s supervisory appeal.
30.07.2015 Pavel Sapelka: The reasons why I was refused to visit places of detention are clearly outlined in my address to the Interior Ministry
Lawyer Pavel Sapelka has received a response to his request to the Department of Corrections of the Ministry of Internal Affairs. The expert asked permission to visit penal facilities in order to monitor detention conditions.
29.07.2015 Siarhei Skrabets: Mikalai Statkevich is tortured in prison
The political prisoner is held in solitary confinement without light and fresh air.
28.07.2015 Mikalai Dziadok’s mother: “Two square meters – standard room per prisoner. It’s horrible!”
Almost a month has passed since political prisoner Mikalai Dziadok was confined in so called ‘cell-type premises’ (PKT) in penal colony No. 9 in Horki.
24.07.2015 Women in Prisons: Violations of Labor and Social Rights
Andrew Coyle, the author of a book entitled “A Human Rights Approach to Prison Management: Handbook for Prison Staff” (published by the International Centre for Prison Studies), argues that the rate of female prisoners in all prisons of the world varies between 2% and 8% of the total number of inmates. The situation of women prisoners is very different from that of men and so it should receive a separate analysis.
29.06.2015 Yury Rubtsou speaks of Baranavichy isolation ward: We are fed like pigs
Almost a month ago, May 29, Homel activist Yury Rubtsou, famous for his public call for Lukashenka's dismissal, was sentenced to 2 additional years of deprivation of liberty. The trial was conducted in Pruzhany, but he is still kept in Baranavichy remand prison, as his cassation appeal is not considered yet, before the trial Rubtsou was on hunger strike for a month.
26.06.2015 Prison officials limit Mikalai Dziadok’s meetings with lawyer
On June 25, Mikalai Dziadok’s meeting with his lawyer lasted only 15 minutes. The rest of the time allocated for the counsel’s visit to prison was taken by the preparation of papers, accommodating the lawyer in the visiting room and waiting for the political prisoner. This is not the first time that the duration of Mikalai Dziadok’s communication with the counsel is severely limited.
25.06.2015 Mother of inmate who died in jail faces obstacles in access to information
Zhanna Ptsichkina, the mother of Ihar Ptsichkin, who died in jail in 2013, has received another answer from the Prosecutor General’s Office.
23.06.2015 Kuchura case: Mahilioŭ authorities go blind to complaints
In a continuous attempt to hide the fact of torture in the Mahilioŭ-based penal colony No. 15, reported by the wife of prisoner Piotr Kuchura, officials of the Investigative Committee and the Prosecutor’s Office brazenly distort the facts in their formal replies to her complaints, arguing that there was no criminal incident in the colony at all.
22.06.2015 Mikalai Statkevich fears provocations in prison
Mikalai Statkevich, who is held in Mahilou prison No.4, fears possible provocations.
28.05.2015 Valyantsin Stefanovich: In colony Mikalai Dzyadok subjected to torture
The penitentiary system of Belarus has preserved many elements of totalitarian past.
27.05.2015 Political prisoner Mikalai Dziadok gets 4 penalties in 2 weeks, twice put in penal cell
According to Valeryia Khotsina, wife of political prisoner Mikalai Dziadok, on May 12 he was transferred to a new place of imprisonment – colony No. 9 in Horki. The following day, May 13, he was placed in solitary confinement, where he spent 5 days.
20.05.2015 Leanid Kulakou: “I called it the torture cell”
Leanid Kulakou, an activist of the European Belarus opposition movement, has told the Human Rights Center “Viasna” about the conditions of detention in the Smaliavičy-based jail, where he recently served 7 days of administrative arrest.
18.05.2015 House of Representatives: No reasons to decriminalize Article 411
Liudmila Mikhalkova, Chairperson of the Standing Commission on legislation of the House of Representatives of the National Assembly replied to Viasna’s letter concerning possible abolition of Article 411 of the Criminal Code.
