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Review-Chronicle of Human Rights Violations in Belarus in 2008

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Review-Chronicle of Human Rights Violations in Belarus in 2008 1 Human Rights Center ‘Viasna’ Review-Chronicle of human rights violations in Belarus in 2008 Minsk 2009 2 Прага вясны Review-Chronicle of human rights violations in Belarus in 2008 The book was prepared on the basis of the short reviews of the human rights situation in Belarus for each month of 2008. It begins with the gener- al analysis of the civil and political situation in the country for the reporting time. The book describes important events and the reaction of the internation- al community to them. Then there are presented some concrete facts of hu- man rights violations by which one can trace back a certain history of struggle of representatives of the Belarusian democratic community for human rights and fundamental freedoms. Among the main violations there are politically motivated criminal and administrative persecution, trampling upon the free- dom of expression, prohibition of peaceful assemblies and denial of the right to association. The book includes photos from the web resources photo.bymedia.net, nn.by, charter97.org, spring96.org. ISBN 15-26496-006-P 3 Contents Review-Chronicle of Human Rights Violations in Belarus in January 2008 ....................................................................................6 Administrative punishment of participants of peaceful protest actions ......... 8 Politically motivated criminal cases .................................................................. 9 Torture and other kinds of violent and inhuman treatment .......................... 11 Freedom of expression and the right to disseminate information ................. 12 Right to association ........................................................................................... 13 Politically motivated dismissals from work and expulsions from educational establishments .................................................................... 13 Freedom of conscience ...................................................................................... 14 Activities of security services .......................................................................... 15 Other kinds of harassment .............................................................................. 16 Review-Chronicle of Human Rights Violations in Belarus in February 2008 ................................................................................17 Politically motivated criminal cases ................................................................ 19 Torture and other kinds of cruel and inhuman treatment ............................ 20 Freedom of expression and the right to disseminate information ................ 21 Administrative punishment of public and political activists ......................... 22 Politically motivated dismissals from work and expulsions from educational establishments ..................................................................... 23 Death penalty ................................................................................................... 24 Freedom of conscience ..................................................................................... 24 The right to peaceful assemblies ..................................................................... 25 Activities of security services ........................................................................... 26 Review-Chronicle of Human Rights Violations in Belarus in March 2008 .....................................................................................27 Politically motivated criminal cases ................................................................ 29 Torture and other kinds of cruel and inhuman treatment ............................. 31 Fines and arrests .............................................................................................. 31 Freedom of expression and the right to disseminate information ................. 32 Freedom of conscience ...................................................................................... 33 The right to peaceful assemblies ...................................................................... 34 Activities of security services ........................................................................... 35 Politically motivated dismissals from work ................................................... 35 4 Прага вясны Review-Chronicle of Human Rights Violations in Belarus in April 2008 ............................................................................................36 Politically motivated criminal cases ................................................................ 38 The right to association .................................................................................... 39 Freedom of expression and the right to disseminate information ................. 40 Detentions and administrative penalties to public and political activists .... 42 Politically motivated dismissals from work and expulsions from educational establishments ..................................................................... 44 Freedom of conscience ...................................................................................... 46 The right to peaceful assemblies ...................................................................... 47 Actions of security services ............................................................................... 48 Review-Chronicle of Human Rights Violations in Belarus in May 2008 .........................................................................................49 Politically motivated criminal cases ................................................................ 51 Administrative punishments to public and political activists ....................... 52 The right to association .................................................................................... 54 Torture and other kinds of cruel and inhuman treatment ............................. 55 Freedom of expression and the right to disseminate information ................. 56 The right to peaceful assemblies ...................................................................... 57 Activities of security services ........................................................................... 58 Review-Chronicle of Human Rights Violations in Belarus in June 2008 ........................................................................................60 Politically motivated criminal cases ................................................................ 62 The right to association .................................................................................... 63 Freedom of expression and the right to disseminate information ................. 64 Arrests and other punishments to public and political activists ................... 65 Politically motivated dismissals from work and expulsions from educational establishments .................................................................... 66 The right to peaceful assemblies ...................................................................... 67 Activities of security services ........................................................................... 68 Persecution of public, political and Human Rights activists ......................... 68 Review-Chronicle of Human Rights Violations in Belarus in July-August 2008............................................................................70 Politically motivated criminal cases ............................................................... 73 The right to association .................................................................................... 74 Freedom of expression and the right to disseminate information ................. 76 Administrative punishments to civil and political activists .......................... 77 The right to peaceful assemblies ...................................................................... 79 5 Politically motivated dismissals from work and expulsions from high schools .............................................................................................. 81 Review-chronicle of Human Rights violations in Belarus in September 2008 .............................................................................82 Fines and arrests .............................................................................................. 85 Torture and other kinds of cruel and inhuman treatment ............................. 87 Freedom of expression and the right to disseminate information ................. 87 The right to peaceful assemblies ...................................................................... 89 The right to association .................................................................................... 90 Politically motivated dismissals from work and expulsions from educational establishments .................................................................... 91 Freedom of conscience ...................................................................................... 92 Capital punishment .......................................................................................... 92 Politically motivated criminal cases ................................................................ 92 Review-Chronicle of Human Rights Violations in Belarus in October-November 2008 ...............................................................93 Freedom of expression and the right to disseminate information ................. 95 The right to association .................................................................................... 96 The right to peaceful assemblies
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