The Belarusian authorities must bring the defamation articles of the Penal Code in line with the international standards of press freedom and freedom of expression. The appeal by human rights defenders was made today at the roundtable “The situation in the media space of Belarus on the eve of the presidential campaign: Realities and Prospects”. Continue reading »
On 9 December in Minsk the civil initiative Human Rights Alliance announced the names of the holders of its yearly prize for human rights protection. The festive event was attended by about 50 people including journalists, politicians and civil activists.
It is the second time the prize is awarded. Last year its holders were the human rights defender Barys Zvoskau, the lawyer Tamara Sidarenka and the journalist Siamion Pechanko. Continue reading »
Human Rights Day, Minsk
On the International Human Rights Day representatives of the Belarusian human rights community passed to the Presidential Administration a petition calling to abolish the death penalty as a kind of punishment that contradicts to the right to life guaranteed by the Constitution and international human rights treaties.
The member of Belarusian Helsinki Committee Hary Pahaniaila, the members of the Foundation for Legal Technologies Development Alena Tankachova and Volha Smalianka, the member of the Center for Human Rights Raisa Mikhailouskaya, the members of Human Rights Center Viasna Zmitser Salauyou and Iryna Toustsik, the member of the Committee for Protection of the Repressed Salidarnasts Andrei Sushko and the human rights defender from Brest Raman Kisliak came to the Presidential Administration. Continue reading »
Siarhei Housha
In particular, Siarhei Housha asked the MFA why the Belarusian state didn’t implement the Committee’s decision concerning the Human Rights Center Viasna and why the state still hasn’t restored his right to association. According to Mr. Housha, if this question is beyond the MFA competency, the officials were obliged to tell to who he must apply. Continue reading »
Генадзь Каршун, Жодзіна
For example, on Monday, 09/11/2009, after the force lost of a whole quarter of studies (due to the action-inaction of officials from Zhodzina and Minsk) by the son of Zhodzina human rights defenders, members of the HRC Viasna, Aliaksei and Sviatlana Lapitskis, Yanka returned to Gymnasium #1. Continue reading »
Leanid Marhotka, Salihorsk
The representative of Belarusian Helsinki Committee in Salihorsk region Leonid Markhotka expressed his opinion regarding the practice of substituting political arrests by huge fines. Continue reading »
Leanid Sudalenka, Homel
Homel civil and political figures on the criminal prosecution of Leanid Svetsik
Leanid Sudalenka, Chair of the Legal Initiative’s Homel office, human rights activist, Homel
- The Vitsebsk human rights activist Leanid Svetsik was convicted of sending letters with threats on behalf of the unregistered ultra-right organization RNE (Russian National Unity). The offence is prosecuted under Article 130-1 of the Criminal Code of Belarus (fomenting racial, national or religious hatred). As far as I know, Svetsik’s work was to render legal assistance to the receivers of the letters and that was his only fault. Now he will have to pay a huge fine of 11,000 USD, which roughly equals to a 3-year’s average salary in Belarus. It looks like the State has made up its mind to earn money on the human rights activist and his big family. I am sure that Leanid Svetsik will find a decent way out of the complicated situation, for he has not admitted the verdict yet. He is going to appeal it, therefore he considers himself innocent! Continue reading »
Alaksiej Lapicki
Vitebsk human rights activist Leanid Svetsik has been punished by the system with the greatest fine of 34 million rubles on charges, which were immediately used by the official state media for fomenting resentment and hatred, further discrimination of the Belarusian society.
In this case, the target of a company of discredit appeared to be an active in its relations with the UNCHR Vitebsk human rights activist, an activist of the Belarusian civil society, whose very honorable mission of a human rights activist was damaged. Continue reading »
Bieras'ciejskaja Viasna
Source: www.spring96.org
Siarhei Housha
According to Mr. Housha, they are indignant at the very form of the denial: ‘your application for holding a picket in Baranavichy is not in line with the normative acts’. In their address to the prosecutor’s office the human rights defenders point at the fact that the normative acts they allegedly violated weren’t specified in the text of the denial. Besides, the officials exceeded the legal terms for answering. According to the law, the answer was to have been submitted five days before the action, but was submitted just two days prior to it. Continue reading »
