Review-Chronicle of Human Rights Violations in Belarus in December 2009

At the end of the year its results were summed up. On 22 December the leadership of the United Democratic Forces of Belarus held a press-conference at which it was stated that this year the situation for the opposition was no better than last year. The country again has political prisoners, the Ministry of Justice again denies state registration to political parties and NGOs and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs denies accreditation to foreign media and their correspondents. Besides, democratic activists are kidnapped by unidentified persons and are arrested for participation in unauthorized peaceful street actions.

On 10 December the Belarusian human rights defenders intended to hold a number of various events dated to the 61st anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, including informational pickets, quizzes, contests, etc. 14 applications for authorization of such actions were filed with the authorities in the capital and other large cities of Belarus. None of them were granted. In fact, in Belarus the Human Rights Day was put under a ban. Only in Brest the authorities sanctioned a rally at the unfrequented Locomotive stadium on the outskirts, though the local civil activists filed applications for three actions: a rally, a picket and a procession in the center of the city.

In Minsk the first events dated to the Human Rights Day took place before 10 December. On 6 December an open youth meeting was held at the International Educational Center (IBB). On 7-9 December the Minsk activists of the Movement For Freedom organized the viewing of human rights documentaries.

On 9 December the civil initiative Human Rights Alliance presented its yearly prizes. Aleh Hruzdzilovich, a correspondent with Radio Liberty, was awarded as journalist of the year, Pavel Sapelka – as the best lawyer and Raman Kisliak – as the best human rights defender. The award ceremony was followed by a joint press-conference of representatives of human rights organizations.

On 10 December the Minsk human rights defenders and civil activists went out to Nezalezhnastsi Avenue to congratulate passers-by on Human Rights Day. Together with the congratulations people were given informational booklets and postcards with information about different human rights issues.

On 23 December the organizing committee of the civil initiative Charter'97 presented its National prize for human rights protection in 2009. Political activist Franak Viachorka, civil activist Zmitser Barodka, young activist Maksim Viniarski, political prisoner Artsiom Dubski, the Vaukavysk entrepreneurs Uladzimir Asipenka, Yury Liavonau and Mikalai Autukhovich and the Salihorsk human rights defender Yana Paliakova were awarded for personal courage (the latter one – posthumously).

On 23 December the Assembly of Pro-democratic NGOs presented symbolic awards to the representatives of the civil initiatives who were most active in 2009. Among the prize holders there are the Belarusian Helsinki Committee and the Human Rights Center Viasna. Human Rights Defenders against the death penalty was declared the civil campaign of the year. The anti-hero of the event was the Ministry of Justice that won in the nomination Non-registration of the year.

On 17 December the European Parliament adopted by the overwhelming majority of votes a resolution on Belarus. The documents points at the absence of significant progress in the situation of human rights in spite of a number of positive steps. The resolution welcomes the decision to extend the sanctions against the Belarusian officials till October 2010 and freeze them till that time. The European MPs believe that the dialogue with Belarus on human rights must be aimed at concrete results and significant progress in the sphere of democracy and supremacy of law. The MPs expect that in 2010 the Belarusian authorities will reform the law On mass media and will put it in line with recommendations of international experts, will abolish the article that penalizes organizing and running unregistered organizations, will allow the registration of political parties and NGOs and will create favorable conditions for activities of NGOs and mass media. European MPs also insist on urgent introduction of the moratorium on death penalty in Belarus. The resolution also calls on the Belarusian authorities to review the verdict that were issued in 2007 to figurants of the Process of 14 including Artsiom Dubski and urgently release from jail the former Vaukavysk entrepreneurs Uladzimir Asipenka and Mikalai Autukhovich.

The Belarusian human rights defenders also prepared and passed to the UN Human Rights Council an alternative Universal Periodical Report on Belarus. The authorities' report is due by February 2010. On the basis of these reports the Human Rights Council will adopt its recommendations for Belarus. According to Valiantsin Stefanovich, lawyer of HRC Viasna, within the frames of preparation of the alternative UPR the authorities agreed to hold consultations with the NGOs that prepared it. The human rights defenders twice met with representatives of the Belarusian MFA and the first Deputy Head of Presidential Administration Natallia Piatkevich.

The human rights defenders also prepare an alternative report to the UN Human Rights Committee on implementation of the International Covenant of Civil and Political Rights by Belarus. The official Minsk has already twice ignored its obligation to report on the ICCPR to the Committee and implement its decisions.

As stated by the Director General of Democracy and Political Affairs Jean-Louis Laurens, the Council of Europe insists on introduction of the death penalty moratorium in Belarus.

The report is available here.

Table of Contents:

1. Politically motivated criminal cases
2. Harassment of civil and political activists
3. Freedom of expression
4. Death penalty
5. Freedom of association
6. Tortures and abductions of civil and political activists
7. Freedom of conscience
8. Freedom of peaceful assemblies
9. Politically motivated expulsions from educational establishments and dismissals from work

11. February 2010 in Politik und Gesellschaft

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