The Human Rights Center “Viasna”

23.02.2016 Student NGOs protest anti-government allegations

The country’s three leading NGOs working for students’ rights have sent a collective appeal to the Belarusian State Medical University about a message posted on VKontakte social network by a representative of University’s Student Self-Government Coordination Council.

22.02.2016 Tajik opposition activist released from jail in Belarus

Shabnam Hudoydodova, activist of the Group 24 Tajik opposition movement, has been released from jail in Brest, after over eight months of imprisonment.

22.02.2016 Activists briefly detained in Svietlahorsk

Viachaslau Siuchyk, leader of the Razam opposition movement, and activist of vendors’ protests Ales Makayeu were detained by the police in Svietlahorsk on February 19. The activists had come to the town to meet with local entrepreneurs.

22.02.2016 Pope Francis Calls Death Penalty Inappropriate "No Matter How Serious the Crime"

In a letter to the President of the International Commission Against the Death Penalty, Pope Francis expressed the Catholic Church's opposition to the death penalty, calling it "inadmissible, no matter how serious the crime committed."

19.02.2016 Viasna demands immediate release of human rights defender Intiqam Aliyev in Azerbaijan

Representatives of the Human Rights Center "Viasna" have joined Amnesty International’s action, writing to the Azerbaijani ambassador in Belarus about the recent deterioration of health of Azerbaijani prisoner of conscience Intiqam Aliyev.

19.02.2016 OSCE/ODIHR Director calls on Belarus to introduce moratorium on death penalty

WARSAW, 18 February 2016 – Today, following the sentencing to death in Minsk of both Sergei Khmelevsky this week and Henadz Yakavitski on 5 January 2016, Michael Georg Link, Director of the OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR), called on Belarus to introduce an immediate moratorium on the death penalty and its complete abolition.

Creating separate colony with intolerable conditions of detention contrary to fundamental principles of international and national law

18.02.2016 Creating separate colony with intolerable conditions of detention contrary to fundamental principles of international and national law

In accordance with Article 8 of the Criminal Executive Code, which enshrines the foundations of the legal status of convicted persons, the State guarantees the protection of the rights, freedoms and legitimate interests of convicts, provides the statutory conditions of application of punishments and other measures of criminal responsibility in relation to convicts, guarantees social justice, their social, legal and other protection.

18.02.2016 Anatol Liabedzka And Iryna Yaskevich Fined For Solidarity With Sole Traders

The court of Maskouski district of Minsk has sentenced Anatol Liabedzka to a fine, 50 basic units (Br10 million 500 thousand).

18.02.2016 Human rights defenders offer expert assistance to CEC

Representatives of the campaign “Human Rights Defenders For Free Election”, co-run by the Belarusian Helsinki Committee and the Human Rights Center “Viasna”, have written to the CEC head Lidziya Yarmoshyna, offering their assistance in the work of an expert group formed to review the OSCE ODIHR recommendations on improving the electoral process in Belarus.

17.02.2016 EU reacts to new death sentence in Belarus

Statement by the Spokesperson on a new death sentence in Belarus

17.02.2016 Belarus replies to complaint in death convict’s case

The Belarusian government has responded to a complaint submitted the UN Human Rights Committee by Volha Hrunova, the mother of Aliaksandr Hrunou, who was executed in 2014. The woman asked to declassify the burial place of her son, and then complained to the UN Human Rights Committee about inhuman and degrading treatment.

16.02.2016 This year’s second death sentence handed down in Minsk (updated)

According to preliminary information received by representatives of the campaign “Human Rights Defenders Against the Death Penalty in Belarus”, the Minsk Regional Court has sentenced to death Siarhei Khmialeuski, 31, resident of the town of Mačuliščy, Minsk region.

16.02.2016 Police reject Alena Tankachova’s petition to mitigate entry ban

Human rights activist Alena Tankachova, who earlier wrote to the Minsk city department of internal affairs asking to reduce the period of her exile, has finally received a letter saying that her request was dismissed.

16.02.2016 Minsk court fines more protesters against police violence

The Court of Lieninski district of Minsk continued yesterday hearing the administrative cases of persons involved in a protest against police-related violence staged in front of the Supreme Court building on January 30.