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On 12 August Ales Bialiatski was charged under Part 2 of Art. 243 of the Criminal Code (concealment of income on a large scale). The term of Ales Bialiatski’s custody was extended for another two month. Human rights defenders consider it as a prosecution for civic activities and continue to collect personal guarantees for Bialiatski.

12 жніўня Алесю Бяляцкаму было выстаўленае абвінавачанне ва ўтойванні даходаў у асабліва буйным памеры па ч. 2 арт. 243 Крымінальнага кодэкса. Тэрмін утрымання Алеся Бяляцкага пад вартай падоўжаны яшчэ на два месяцы. Праваабаронцы лічаць гэта пераследам за грамадскую дзейнасць і працягваюць збіраць паручальніцтвы за Бяляцкага.

The Norwegian Helsinki Committee is very disappointed that the human rights activist and laureate of the Sakharov Freedom Award Evgeniy Zhovtis on 2 August again was rejected in his appeal for early release. The trail of E. Zhovtis is a just a minor reflection of overall situation in Kazakhstan with regard to the situation of human rights defenders, freedom of expression and free media.

There are two news from Azerbaijan this week. The first one is negative as the authorities in Baku demolished the building, which was used by several local NGOs as offices, as part of an urban renewal project. The second one is more positive because long years jailed journalist Eynulla Fatullayev has finally received compensation from the government and has established a new human rights movement.

HFHR regrets to inform that on 4 August 2011 our friend Ales Bialiatski, head of the Human Rights Centre Vesna and Vice-President of the International Federation for Human Rights was arrested in Minsk, Belarus. Ales has been long engaged in promoting democracy and human rights in Belarus. In June, he was presented with the Freedom Award in Wrocław.

9 international NGOs sent a joint letter to Belarusian Prosecutor General of the City of Minsk to urge that Ales Bialiatski be released from custody on his own recognizance pending the investigation against him.

On 8 August human rights defenders and representatives of the Belarusian civil society began a campaign to collect pledges for the release of the arrested chairman of the Human Rights Centre “Viasna” Ales Bialiatski (right). They encourage citizens to send their petitions asking the authorities to use personal guarantee as a measure of restraint for Ales Bialiatski.

8 жніўня праваабаронцы і прадстаўнікі беларускага грамадства распачалі кампанію па зборы паручальніцтваў за вызваленне арыштаванага старшыні Праваабарончага цэнтру “Вясна” Алеся Бяляцкага (на фота). Яны заклікаюць грамадзянаў накіроўваць свае хадайніцтвы аб прымяненні ў якасці меры стрымання да Алеся Бяляцкага асабістага паручальніцтва.

On Thursday, 4 August 2011, the Circuit Court in Lublin dismissed the appeal brought by Zbigniew Ż., found guilty of defaming his neighbour D.R. by calling him ‘a Police snitch’. The incident took place at courtroom during the trial of D.R., who was charged with assault causing bodily harm. Zbigniew Ż. was a witness in the case. The HFHR observed the trial.

London based human rights and freedom of expression organisation Article 19 congratulates the UN Human Rights Committee for the adoption of General Comment No 34, which strengthens the protection of international law on freedom of expression and provides authoritative guidance to state actors, including courts, on the development of policies and adjudication of matters affecting this right.

On August 5, Human Rights House in Vilnius held a press conference dedicated to the arrest of the prominent Belarusian human rights activist Ales Bialiatski. The members of Human Rights Centre “Viasna” Valiantsin Stefanovich and Andrei Paluda uncovered new details of the arrest of famous human rights defender during the press conference.

In his complaint submitted to the Constitutional Tribunal K. P. challenges the constitutionality of article 19 of the Police Act. Article 19 enables the authorities to gather materials documenting contacts between defendants and their attorneys, obtained through investigative methods. The provision in question creates no procedure for requesting that such materials be destroyed.