Zmicier Karashkou is a public activist from Homel of “Stop drinking – we have to live” Company. He brings to the international community the facts of being repeatedly persecuted by the state for expressing his opinion related to Russia’s initiation of war in the Ukraine, and for drawing attention to the problem of alcoholization of the nation. Continue reading »

Mrs. Zinaida Shumilina, Homel
The UN Human Rights Committee has registered a complaint submitted by Homel civil activist Mrs. Zinaida Shumilina, contesting a number of bans on holding pickets in support of former presidential candidates and their families.
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In Homiel a member of anti-alcohol campaign “Don’t drink –let’s live” Vasil Takarenka was arrested. He was arrested by riot militia near the store “Homiel”. The activist was taken to the militia department of the Central District.
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Уладзімер Кацора, Гомель
Homel resident Ihar Sluchak has lodged another complaint with the Supreme Court Chairman Valiantsin Sukala, urging him to review the administrative arrest for alleged disorderly conduct in late August 2011 Continue reading »

Mykalay Samaseyka, Chairman of the Standing Committee of Parliament, Мiensk
Homiel opposition activists Uladzimir Katsora and Uladzimir Niapomnyashchykh received a response from the House of Representatives to their appeal, the main point of which was that the Parliament would call the Constitutional Court to initiate bringing in line Article 8.4 of Procedural-Executive Code on Administrative Offences (PEKAO) with Article 25 of the Constitution and Article 9 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights. Continue reading »
On 13 April Halina Sytsko, Judge of the Homel Savetski District Court, fined Vasil Paliakou, Chair of the Homel region organization of the United Civil Party, 875,000 rubles (about $287) for refusing to be fingerprinted by the police.
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Homel Savetski Tax Inspection ordered Homel member of the For Freedom movement Uladzimer Katsora to pay 10 million roubles for the Civil Initiatives public association, closed down in 2003. Meanwhile, the activist says he has declared his retirement from the position of the head of liquidation commission of Civil Initiatives. Continue reading »
Judge Vasil Biahun of Homel Regional Court has ruled to reverse a 700,000-rouble fine to Valery Rybchanka, local opposition Communist leader, his civil case being sent for reconsideration at Homel Chyhunachny Court. Continue reading »
The independent journalists Tatsiana Bublikava and Aleh Ryzhkou were detained in Homel.
As the website baj.by reports, the incident took place on 30 October, when the journalists were filming an interview in Homel streets. They asked passers-by their opinions on swine flu epidemic.
As Tatsiana Bublikava said, policemen Maksim Ihnatchyk and Ihar Tarasau came up to them and demanded to show a permit for shooting. Police officers remained unsatisfied with journalist certificates and explanations of the journalists that they were fulfilling the editor’s task and didn’t need a permit to shoot in the place.
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Homel civil and political figures on the criminal prosecution of Leanid Svetsik
Leanid Sudalenka, Chair of the Legal Initiative’s Homel office, human rights activist, Homel
- The Vitsebsk human rights activist Leanid Svetsik was convicted of sending letters with threats on behalf of the unregistered ultra-right organization RNE (Russian National Unity). The offence is prosecuted under Article 130-1 of the Criminal Code of Belarus (fomenting racial, national or religious hatred). As far as I know, Svetsik’s work was to render legal assistance to the receivers of the letters and that was his only fault. Now he will have to pay a huge fine of 11,000 USD, which roughly equals to a 3-year’s average salary in Belarus. It looks like the State has made up its mind to earn money on the human rights activist and his big family. I am sure that Leanid Svetsik will find a decent way out of the complicated situation, for he has not admitted the verdict yet. He is going to appeal it, therefore he considers himself innocent! Continue reading »
According to www.odsgomel.org, a Chernobyl nuclear disaster fighter has been sentenced to 10 years of imprisonment for a BYR 10,000 worth theft (USD 3,5).
Siarhei Paharski was convicted by Homel Chyhunachny Court in 2001. Now he is addressing ‘the President, the ambassador, the Government and the people of the United States’ as well as heads of independent human rights organizations, mass media and businessmen etc. with a request to protect his rights. Continue reading »
‘Our heartiest congratulations on the Constitution Day!’ – this is what many Homel residents heard on 15 March.
The action organized by the Belarusian Pro-Democratic Forces was to mark the day of the Belarusian Constitution. The activists distributed leaflets saying that today Belarus marks the 15th anniversary of the adoption of the current version of the Constitution. Continue reading »
According to Siarhei Belikau, special investigator of Homel Regional Prosecutor’s Office, the case of the murderers of ‘the arsonist of Pukhavichy’ would soon be brought before Homel Regional Court. The exact date of the proceedings will have been fixed by the end of the month.
Belarusian high police officials say they will have to fingerprint each and every male citizen of Belarus unless the 4 July, 2008 explosion is solved by the investigation. Since www.odsgomel.org keeps receiving evidence of Homel residents being forced to take their fingerprints, the city human rights experts decided to comment on the lawfulness of the action. Continue reading »