“Viasna” activists being evicted from their Minsk office (UPDATED)

17.58. Ales Byalyatski's wife Natallya Pinchuk had left because officers of the court arrived. So there will be no eviction today – it should be conducted in Ms.Pinchuk’s presence.

17.35. About 15 people have gathered near the office – human rights activists and journalists. Officers of the court have not arrived yet although the appointed time has already passed. According to human rights activists, there are bookcases, tables, armchairs and a phone in the flat now. There have been no computers in the flat for a long time.

17.10. Officers of the court have not arrived yet. They have phoned and informed about their arrival. Human rights activists are waiting for them near the house. The flat the attached property is in now may also be sealed up today.

More details will soon be available on air and on Euroradio’s website.

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According to the website spring96.org, flat 48 in Independence Square 78A hosting the office of the human rights centre “Viasna” was bought in 2000. According to a decision taken by the council of “Viasna”, Ales Byalyatski became the official owner of the flat. Thanks to the fact that the office was private property, “Viasna” has managed to work there for 11 years.

Let us remind you that human rights activist Ales Byalyatski was sentenced to 4.5 years of imprisonment and confiscation of property in November 2011. He was accused of tax evasion connected with his accounts abroad. In fact, the money transferred to the accounts was allocated for human rights activities. The EU member states and the USA consider him to be a political prisoner and demand his urgent release.

Byalyatski is in Babruisk colony now. He packs goods in the sewing workshop.

It has also become known recently that the property in Ales Byalyatski’s summer house in Rakau was attached not long ago.

Ales Byalyatski during his trial. Photo by— bymedia.net