Comments on the recent reply by the Ministry of Education
Human rights activist Aliaksei Lapitski, father of Yanka Lapitski, has provided his comments on the recent reply by the Ministry of Education in the context of Belarusian-language education in Zhodzina.
I was not at all surprised that our complaint against the inaction by Deputy Minister of Education Mr.Faryno was addressed by Mr.Faryna himself. Being unaware of such simple things and ignoring the legislation at this level, in particular the Law on Public Appeals, is real ‘aerobatics.’ Continue reading »

Tags: Education, language rights, Lapitski, Ministry of Education, Zhodzina

On 08/10/2009 Yanka Lapitski’s mother was summoned to the office of the ideology department of the company where she works for an hour-long conversation regarding her son’s studies at Gymnasium number 1, where she was blamed for the situation.

As it turned out, possessed by an inspiration against “asocial elements” and being eager to put the “wrong” Belarusian citizens “in place” the officials have made a new “move of the knight”, on the phone – from the office of Director of Studies (Deputy Principal) of Gymnasium number 1 Ludmila Hladkikh straight into the office of the chief ideologist of the Smalevichy enterprise …  Continue reading »

Tags: Education, language rights, Lapitski, Zhodzina

Yes, on 9 October 2009 parents of Yanka Lapitsky (a Belarusian-speaking student of Gymnasium № 1 in Zhodzina) received another response to theirs appeal, which was sent DIRECTLY to the Minister of Education of Belarus, Mr. Radzkou.

Surprisingly, the Deputy Minister, Mr. Faryna, whose inactivity was highlighted in the appeal, responded to this parents’ address to the Minister by himself (!?). Answer from the Ministry of Education of 06.10.2009 under No. 06-1156-K-(1)-0 was signed by this official.
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On 9 October, on the eve of the World Day against the Death Penalty, the UN Human Rights Committee confirmed receiving the individual address of Vasil Yuzepchuk, who on 28 June 2009 was sentenced by Brest oblast court to death with property confiscation. Continue reading »

On 6 October the head of the Human Rights Center Viasna Ales Bialiatski and the lawyer Uladzimir Labkovich attended the trial, held on the lawsuit of the president of the Chechen Republic Ahmat Kadyrau for protection of his honor and dignity from the Russian human rights organization Memorial. Bialiatski and Labkovich were present at the trial as observers of the International Federation of Human Rights (FIDH). Continue reading »

Tags: Memorial, Monitoring, Russia, Trial, Viasna

Portraits of Young Front leader Zmitser Dashkevich calling to beware of ‘blighter of infant souls’ has recently appeared in Minsk. Continue reading »

On 01.10.2009, the parents of Yanka Lapitski received a response to their latest appeal from the executive committee of Zhodzina. The document was once again signed by the chair of the executive committee Vasil Hryshchanka alone.

According to Aliaksei Lapitski, despite the fact that the letter from Mr. Hryshchanka noted that it was made in response to the applicants’ appeal, there were no specific answers to the questions raised by the Lapitskis.

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Tags: Belarusian language, Education, language rights, Lapitski

On 2 October the trial of Uladzimir Maliarchuk, Ales Narkevich and Aliaksei Siudak came to an end. They were charged with holding an unauthorized rally on 1 September near the village of Krasny Berazhok, where some memorial crosses were installed. These crosses were dismantled by the district authorities in several days and an administrative case was brought against participants of the commemorative action.

At 3 p.m. the judge read the verdict, without explaining how the court could prove the ‘violation’.

Maliarchuk and Siudak were fined 1 050 000 rubles (about $) each and Narkevich – 750 000 rubles. Having read the verdict the judge left the court hall without raising his eyes.

Source: vialejka.org