News for March 2005

31.03.2005 Adrian Severin: “For priority, human rights always need political reforms”

31.03.2005 In her appeal to the special rapporteur on Belarus A. Severin, Zinaida Hanchar said she was sure that the cases of political disappearances cannot be solved under the current regime.

31.03.2005 Alies Bialiatski: “Now the main task of the Belarusian human rights activists now in Geneva is to make sure that yet another Resolution on Belarus is considered and adopted, and the position of special rapporteur is preserved”.

31.03.2005 Today Anatol Shumchanka, Leader of Perspektyva Will Leave Investigative Ward

31.03.2005 BSDP (NH) appealed to the Constitutional Court, the Ministry of Justice and the Minister himself protesting against the impossibility to freely act in accordance with the party charter.

31.03.2005 Nasha Niva Journalist Will Press for Criminal Case Against Police

31.03.2005 In the evening of 30 March police started seizing Mikhail Marynich's property

31.03.2005 On 14 March Ministry of Justice adopted a ruling amending the Rules for legalizing and reviewing documents submitted for state registration by political parties, professional unions, other public associations, and also registering the above entities and their branches with the state.

31.03.2005 Valiantsin Lazarenkau, Head of Brest Region Branch of Free Trade Union of Belarus, Summonsed to Maskovski Department of Internal Affairs of Brest on 30 March.

30.03.2005 Belarusian Human Rights Activists Meet with UN Representative in Geneva

30.03.2005 On 6 March Pershamaiski Court of Minsk will start hearing yet another criminal case for slandering the President of the Republic of Belarus (part 2 Article 367 of the Criminal Code of Belarus) and for degrading the President of the Republic of Belarus (part 1 Article 368 of the Criminal Code of Belarus).

30.03.2005 Ivan Bedka, Chair of Slonim Branch of the BPF Party, was accused of distributing flyers.

30.03.2005 Another action in support of the political prisoner Mikhail Marinich conducted by Zubr activists in Minsk.

30.03.2005 The UN official delegation requested Mr. Severin, the special rapporteur for Belarus, offer his apologies to the Belarusian people

30.03.2005 The International League for Human Rights, an international non-governmental organization with special consultative status at UN ECOSOC, expresses its profound concern about the latest attack on freedom of assembly and expression in Belarus after the arrest and sentencing of peaceful protestors in Minsk.

29.03.2005 Aleinikau, representative of the official UN delegation called Belarusian human rights activists “representatives of the militant non-governmental organizations".

29.03.2005 “A noose around the neck of civil society in Belarus", the name of the briefing hosted by the Palace of Nations in Geneva.

29.03.2005 Legal experts of Human Rights Center Viasna Give their Estimation of the Court Hearings in Cases against 25 March Action Participants in Minsk.

29.03.2005 Organization Committee for Commemorating the 19th anniversary of the Chernobyl Tragedy decided to stage a mass action on 26 April in Minsk.

29.03.2005 “Supreme Court of Belarus ruled to liquidate the Belarusian Scouts’ Association. The Ministry of Justice addressed the Supreme Court, requesting this action”, reports NDA press-service.

29.03.2005 Already 25 On Hunger-Strike in Vaukavysk

28.03.2005 List of 25 March Action Participants Sentenced in Court.

28.03.2005 Special Police Officer Who Tortured Kanstantsin Karol by Trying to Pull out Pierced Ring from his Face is Akhramovich.

28.03.2005 Action participants Interrogated in Investigative Committee of the Main Board of Internal Affairs of Minsk City Executive Committee in connection with a criminal case instituted for 25 March events in Minsk.

28.03.2005 Andrei Baranau, Zubr Activist, Taken to Hospital from Courtroom.

28.03.2005 Tsentralny Borough Court of Minsk in Bahdanovicha Street Starts Trying Detained Participants of the 25 March Action.

28.03.2005 Supreme Court Refused to Change Sentence to Valery Levaneuski and Aliaxandr Vasilieu and Upheld Ruling of the Leninski Borough Court of Hrodna.

28.03.2005 Local Businessmen’s Leader Gets Punished in Baranavichy

28.03.2005 Criminal proceedings initiated for 25 March events in Minsk

28.03.2005 Aliaxei Haurutsikau, Leader of Vitsebsk Branch of BSDP (NH) Did not Get his Contract Renewed for Taking Part in Elections