The Human Rights Center Viasna Review-Chronicle of Human Violations in Belarus in 2009 Minsk 2010 Contents A year of disappointed hopes ................................................................7 Review-Chronicle of Human Rights Violations in Belarus in January 2009....................................................................9 Freedom to peaceful assemblies .................................................................................10 Activities of security services .....................................................................................11 Freedom of association ...............................................................................................12 Freedom of information ..............................................................................................13 Harassment of civil and political activists ..................................................................14 Politically motivated criminal cases ...........................................................................14 Freedom of conscience ...............................................................................................15 Prisoners’ rights ..........................................................................................................16 Review-Chronicle of Human Rights Violations in Belarus in February 2009................................................................17 Politically motivated criminal cases ...........................................................................19 Harassment of political and civil activists. Activities of security services .....................................................................................20 Freedom of peaceful assemblies .................................................................................22 Freedom of conscience ...............................................................................................23 Freedom of association ...............................................................................................24 Review-Chronicle of Human Rights Violations in Belarus Freedom of information ..............................................................................................25 in 2009 Review-Chronicle of Human Rights Violations The book was prepared on the basis of the short reviews of human rights violations in Belarus in March 2009 ....................................................................27 in each month of 2009. It opens with a general analysis of the socio-political situation Politically motivated criminal cases ...........................................................................29 during the specified period, a description of the important events and the reaction of the international community to them. This is followed by concrete facts of human rights Harassment of civil and political activists. violations illustrating the history of struggle of the Belarusian democratic community Activities of security services .....................................................................................30 for the fundamental rights and freedoms. Politically motivated criminal and administra- Freedom of peaceful assemblies .................................................................................32 tive persecution, trampling of the freedom of speech, prohibition of peaceful assemblies Freedom of association ...............................................................................................33 and denial of the right to association are among the most frequent violations. The book Freedom of information ..............................................................................................34 also features photos from the internet sources Politically motivated dismissals from work photo.bymedia.net, nn.by, svaboda.org, spring96.org and expulsions from educational establishments ........................................................34 4 5 Review-Chronicle of Human Rights Violations Review-Chronicle of Human Rights Violations in Belarus in April 2009 .......................................................................36 in Belarus in July-August 2009 ...........................................................66 Harassment of civil and political activists ..................................................................37 Freedom of association ...............................................................................................68 Freedom of association ...............................................................................................39 Harassment of civil and political activists ..................................................................69 Politically motivated criminal cases ...........................................................................40 Politically motivated criminal cases ...........................................................................71 Prison conditions .........................................................................................................42 Harassment of human rights defenders .......................................................................72 Freedom to peaceful assemblies .................................................................................42 Freedom to peaceful assemblies .................................................................................72 Freedom of information ..............................................................................................43 Freedom of information ..............................................................................................73 Activities of security services .....................................................................................44 Freedom of conscience ...............................................................................................75 Politically motivated dismissals from work Politically motivated dismissals from work and expulsions from educational establishments ........................................................45 and expulsions from educational establishments ........................................................76 Prison conditions .........................................................................................................76 Review-Chronicle of Human Rights Violations Death penalty ..............................................................................................................77 in Belarus in May 2009 ........................................................................46 Harassment of civil and political activists ..................................................................48 Review-Chronicle of Human Rights Violations Freedom of association ...............................................................................................49 in Belarus in September 2009 .............................................................78 Politically motivated criminal cases ...........................................................................50 Freedom of association ...............................................................................................80 Freedom of conscience ...............................................................................................51 Freedom of information ..............................................................................................80 Harassment of human rights defenders .......................................................................51 Freedom to peaceful assemblies .................................................................................81 Politically motivated dismissals from work Politically motivated criminal cases ...........................................................................82 and expulsions from educational establishments ........................................................51 Harassment of civil and political activists ..................................................................82 Freedom to peaceful assemblies .................................................................................52 Freedom of consciousness ..........................................................................................83 Freedom of information ..............................................................................................52 Activities of security services .....................................................................................84 Prison conditions .........................................................................................................54 Tortures and other kinds of cruel and inhuman treatment ..........................................84 Incitement of national and racial enmity ....................................................................55 Politically motivated dismissals from work Review-Chronicle of Human Rights Violations and expulsions from educational establishments ........................................................85 Prisoners’ rights ..........................................................................................................85 in Belarus in June 2009........................................................................56 Harassment of political and civil activists. Activities of security services .................58 Review-Chronicle of Human Rights Violations Freedom of association ...............................................................................................59 in Belarus in October 2009 ..................................................................86