Human rights defender Tatsiana Reviaka questioned by KGB

Submitted by admin on Tue, 08/21/2012 - 21:33

Mrs. Tatsiana Reviaka, member of the Human Rights Center Viasna’s Council, has been summoned for “conversation” to the KGB central office, after she received an official writ, saying that she should be questioned “as a person being aware of circumstances that have significance for maintaining the national security of the Republic of Belarus.”

Tatsiana Reviaka visited the KGB office, accompanied by her lawyer.

The human rights defender says the summons is linked to her activities and the ongoing harassment of Viasna and its activists intensified after the arrest of its leader Ales Bialiatski.

The interrogation dealt with an article entitled “Mahiliou KGB interferes with electoral process”, published on the www.spring96.org web-site on 15 August, said Mrs. Reviaka after the questioning. KGB officer Aliaksandr Matskevich also inquired on the source of the information and its author. He then asked whether Tatsiana Reviaka checked the data mentioned in the article.

In turn, Mrs. Reviaka said the publication could not discredit the KGB.

As a result, Tatsiana Reviaka was warned over the publication of unchecked information on Viasna’s web-site.
http://spring96.org/en/news/55955

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.