News for 22 жніўня 2007
Consideration of Criminal Case against Young Front Activist Nasta Azarka Appointed on 4 September
HRC Viasna learned that on 4 September Niasvizh district court will consider the criminal case against the Young Front activist Nasta Azarka. The case was brought under article 193.1 (activity on behalf of unregistered organization).
No Place for ‘Opposition’ In Slavonic Gymnasium
In Babruisk the daughter of an activist of For Freedom! movement Ales Chyhir was not transferred to the 5th grade. Instead Chyhir received a letter from the headmaster. In this letter the father was proposed to take his daughter to another school. According to the official version Alisa Chyhir did not pass the entrance exams to the senior grades of the gymnasium. However, there are no examination minutes and orders for the establishment of the examination commission. Mr. Chyhir has a 13-year record as a teacher and knows all details of the educational process.
Pavel Seviarynets Sentenced to 15 Days of Jail
On 22 August Maskouski district court of Minsk held the third sitting on an administrative case against a political leader Pavel Seviarynets. The trial was to have taken place on 20 August, but was postponed first to 21 August and then to 22 August because of absence of the police witnesses. All this time Mr. Seviarynets was kept in Brest isolator.
Customs Office Checks Your Letters Abroad
Recently the deputy chair of the International Federation for Human Rights Ales Bialiatski has started receiving foreign letters with interesting seals: ‘To present for customs examination’ and ‘Transportation permitted. Minsk regional customs office’. Such attentive examination of Mr. Bialiatski’s letters is not occasional. In fact, in Belarus there exists a convenient system of control of the private correspondence of public and human rights activists and politicians.
Administration of ‘Hrodna Azot’ Plant Pressurizes Independent Trade Union
The administration of the open company Hrodna Azot (Hrodna Nitrogen) has started pressurizing members of the Belarusian Independent Trade Union in order to make them leave it and join a pro-governmental trade union Belkhimprafsayuz (Belarusian Chemical Trade Union).
Activist of Entrepreneur Movement Summonsed to Police on Order of ‘Vertical’s’ Official
On 20 August a participant of a campaign For Free Development of Entrepreneurs Aliaksandr Tsedura was summonsed to Salihorsk district police department. The policemen explained that they did it on order of the chair of Salihorsk district executive committee Aliaksandr Rymasheuski. Rymasheuski decided that there was something illegal in Tsedura’s ad about the establishment of a committee for protection of the entrepreneurs’ rights and interests. The paper also informed about an upcoming social march against violations of workers’ rights that would take place in Minsk.
Action in Peramozhtsau Avenue in Minsk
At about 8 p.m. on 21 August 40 activists of the public campaign For Freedom! came to Peramozhtsau Avenue (former Masherau Avenue)in Minsk. The youth activists flew the flags of the European Union and marched to Maskva cinema. There the street banner running ‘Our Time has Come! European March - 14 October 2007’ was installed.
Entrepreneurs Receive Temporary Moratorium on Tax Inspections
Members of the Republican Public Association Perspective met with the deputy ministers for taxes and duties of Belarus Aliaksandr and Vasil Kamenka. The officials promised to settle the conflict which occurred today at the Zhdanovichy market and announced the monitoring moratorium for the time of the conflict settlement.
Human Rights Activists Meet with First Deputy Minister of Justice Aliaksandr Petrash
On 21 August the human rights activists Ales Bialiatski, Uladzimir Labkovich and Valiantsin Stefanovich had a personal audience with the first deputy minister of Justice Aliaksandr Petrash. First of all, they were interested in the process of registration of the human rights NGO Viasna. Bear in mind that on 23 July the initiative group of human rights activists filed with the Ministry of Justice a packet of documents for registration of the public human rights association Viasna and in two days the Ministry of Justice must announce its decision.
Aliaksei Shein’s Complaint Turned down
Minsk city court turned down an appeal of a co-chairman of the organizing committee of the Belarusian Christian Democracy Party Aliaksei Shein against a verdict of Frunzenski district court of Minsk sentencing the activist to 15 days of jail under article 23.34 of the Adminstrative Code (violation of the order of holding mass actions or pickets).
Activist to Be Tried for Demanding Customs Declaration Blank in Belarusian
On 30 August in Homel a trial of a public activist Siarhei Siamionau will take place. Siamionau is charged with refusal to fill in a customs declaration, which is considered as ‘disobedience to legal demands of a customs officer’.
Medical Diagnose to Tatsiana Tyshkevich after Police Beating
Today the doctors announced diagnoses to Tatsiana Tyshkevich who had been beaten up by the plainclothes staff-members of the special police regiment 16 August when the youth leader Mikita Sasim had been detained. The strike in kidneys provoked the inflammation process in kidneys, the Charter’97 press office was informed by the right activist Iryna Toustsik.
Belarus to Build Atomic Power Plant
Minister for economy of Belarus Mikalai Zaichanka is sure that the country can’t do without the atomic power engineering. ‘Due to the present day state of relationship with Russia and gas prices the power engineering has become very costly’, declared the minister for economy in Minsk specifying that the majority of heat and electric power plants are gas powered. ‘We are loosing competitiveness on the tariffs and under such conditions we can’t do without an APP’, he said.
Strikes at Zhdanovichy Market Continue
Around 100 trading outlets were closed today at the Mir Mody (Fashion World) trade center at the Zhdanovichy market. That was reported by one of the leaders of the Minsk entrepreneurs Aliaksandr Makayeu. He said that fur traders refused to start working. According to them, under constantly changing legislation their goods can be any time confiscated by the monitoring bodies.
