Show solidarity with ARCHE!

Submitted by admin on Tue, 11/06/2012 - 22:33

“ARCHE” is the only thick monthly magazine in the Belarusian language which has been regularly issued since 1998. However, the events that have been taking place since the arrest of it’s the then chief editor Valer Bulhakau can put a cross on the further existence of the edition.

On one hand, an “in-depth” check up of the economic activities of the magazine is being held by the Financial Investigations Department of the State Control Committee, on the other – the Belarusian TV started the campaign of besmearing the magazine through the hosts and journalists of the criminal chronicle program “Zone X”.

Among other things it is stated that “ARCHE” and his former chief editor Bulhakau are guilty of publishing materials “with a claim to extremism”. At the same time, the magazine is well known for printing primarily scientific and popular scientific texts of domestic and foreign authors, and the specific content of the publications has not caused any significant comments from the Ministry of Information of the Republic of Belarus in the recent years.

Despite this, some forces are clearly interested the annulment of the registration certificate of “ARCHE” by the Ministry of Information which would discontinue its publication. In this situation, we call on all people of good will to show solidarity with “ARCHE”. In particular, it can be down by writing appeals to the Information Minister Aleh Vitoldavich Praliaskouski on this address: 220004, Minsk, Peramozhtsau 10.

The approximate content of the letter can be as follows:

Dear Aleh Vitoldavich,

I am deeply concerned with the cancellation of registration of the monthly magazine “ARCHE-Pachatak”. As far as I know, in the recent years the Ministry of Information has not issued any warnings to the magazine in connection with the content of the materials which were published in it, that’s why there are no legal grounds for the liquidation of the edition. The termination of the issue of the magazine would doubtlessly become a great loss to the Belarusian science and culture.

http://spring96.org/en/news/58843

News of Belarus

PACE rapporteur dismayed by harassment of Viasna human rights centre in Belarus

Submitted by admin on Wed, 11/28/2012 - 15:29

Strasbourg, 21.11.2012 – Andres Herkel (Estonia, EPP/CD), the rapporteur on Belarus of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE), has expressed his dismay that the “Viasna” human rights centre in Minsk has been ordered to vacate its office by 27 November, following a year of obscure legal procedures which transferred ownership of the apartment in which the office is located to the state.

Valiantsin Stefanovich: "Viasna" will continue its work in all circumstances

Submitted by admin on Wed, 11/21/2012 - 10:45

It was reported on Saturday that the confiscation of the office of the Human Rights Center "Viasna" was scheduled for November 26. Human rights defenders stress that the news was not a surprise for the activists of the organization and they would continue their work in all circumstances.