Lawyer and human rights defender Valiantsin Stefanovic comments on a number of suits filed by Hrodna KGB asking to recognize that the seized printed editions are of extremist nature:

“We observe unprecedented processes when the regional Committee for State Security (KGB) appeals to court under the Code of Civic Procedures, asking to recognize the legal fact that some printed editions are extremist. Among the editions on their list there is the Chronicle Review of Human Rights Violations in Belarus”, published by Viasna in 2004. According to the plaintiffs, it contains pictures from the rallies of anti-Belarusian nature: the Freedom Day, the Chernobyl March, Ancestors’ day, and others. The KGB also thinks the Review contains calls to overthrow the regime in an unconstitutional way.

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Tags: freedom of expression, KGB, Stefanovich

IN THE LAST ANSWER TO THE HUMAN RIGHTS ACTIVISTS FROM ZHODZINA THE HEAD OF THE CENTRAL ELECTION COMMISSION LIDZIYA YARMOSHYNA COSCIENTLY AVOIDS SPEAKING OF EVIDENT VIOLATIONS OF THE ELECTION CODE OF THE REPUBLIC OF BELARUS. THERE’S NO USE MENTIONING THE INTERNATIONAL ELECTORAL STANDARDS HERE… SUCH STANDARDS DON’T EXIST FOR BELARUS. THERE ARE SOME IDEOLOGICAL HORRORS AND INSINUATIONS ABOUT THEM, BUT THERE IS NO REAL UNDERSTANDING AND NO POLITICAL WILL FOR THEIR IMPLEMENTATION. HOWEVER, IT’S HIGH TIME THAT ALL INTERNATIONAL UNDERTAKINGS, INCLUDING THE UNDERTAKINGS IN THE POLITICAL SPHERE, BE IMPLEMENTED.
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Tags: Election law, freedom of expression, human rights, international treaties

Immediately after the results of the election were made public, it became clear that there was no use hoping for any changes. The authorities’ flirting with Europe could have ruined the plans of the pro-democratic coalition, but the actual state of affairs was the evidence of the government’s unwillingness to tolerate any democratic reform of the election procedures.

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Tags: analysis, parliamentary election

Minsk, September 29th, 2008

Elections to the Chamber of Representatives of the National Assembly of the Republic of Belarus, 4th convocation.

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Tags: human rights, parliamentary election

What runs the show in Belarusian courts: ideological expediency or the Law?

A number of Zhodzina human rights activists have submitted a claim to the Un Human Rights Committee to protect their civil and political rights.

The UN office in Belarus has considered the claim and submitted it for the further consideration of the Geneva-based Human Rights Committee.

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Tags: freedom of assembly, human rights, UN Human Rights Committee

‘Legal opportunities and obstacles on the way of implementing international and constitutional law in the Belarusian civil and criminal legal proceedings.’

Some would say the possibility of implementing the legal instruments of international and constitutional law in the Belarusian judiciary is nothing but a joke, for it really seems to be pure fantasy or fairy-tales…

As a matter of fact, some experts think that the legal sphere dealing with civil rights and freedoms is, for today’s Belarus, rather an ideological than a legal issue – it is normally viewed through the lenses of ideological expediency and the absolute authority of the executive power. Meanwhile, judges are perceived as appointed pro-government officials…

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Tags: Constitution, human rights, international law, judiciary

The unprecedented trial that is about to commence in Zhodzina is likely to turn into an ambiguous and highly complicated venture. A number of local human rights activists lodged a claim against several plainclothes policemen, who disturbed public order and violated the rights of Zhodzina residents during the celebration of the 90^th anniversary of the Belarusian People’s Republic on 23 March, 2008. The victims include journalist Dzianis Borykau and the BPF’s local office leaders Sviatlana and Aliaksei Lapitskis.

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Tags: claim, Lapitski, Trial, Zhodzina

When speaking about restricting human rights, one always runs the risk of feeling alerted and anxious. Human rights are a universal value and any restriction of these rights may undermine the essence of the value. However, according to the famous Polish human rights activist Marek Novicky, as far the European law is concerned, such anxiety is groundless, since restrictions are a fact and they should exist, but their amount and manifestation is to be carefully controlled. [4, 22-23]

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Tags: freedom of speech, human rights, restrictions

In autumn 2006 the UN Human Rights Committee condemned the decision by the Belarusian authorities to close down the Homel Regional Public Association ‘Civil Initiatives’ and called upon the government of Belarus to rehabilitate its rights. As yet, things appear to be where they started.
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Tags: freedom of association, legislation, NGOs