The Human Rights Center “Viasna”

25.04.2014 Amnesty International: Death row prisoner executed in secret

Amnesty International strongly condemns the execution of death row prisoner, Pavel Selyun, in Belarus and the way it was communicated with total disregard for the rights of his family. According to the Belarusian NGO, Human Rights Centre Viasna, he was executed some time over the Easter period. He had appealed to President Lukashenka for clemency. Pavel Selyun’s mother was not informed that clemency had been denied to her son, nor that he was due to be executed, in violation of international standards.

25.04.2014 Miklós Haraszti: Halt further executions

The United Nations Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in Belarus, Miklós Haraszti, has urged the Belarusian authorities to impose an immediate moratorium on death sentences and to refrain from carrying out further executions.

25.04.2014 Dzmitry Dashkevich sentenced to 25 days of arrest

Former political prisoner Dzmitry Dashkevich was detained last evening at the entrance to his apartment in Minsk. He was searched and then brought to the Pershamaiski district police department.

25.04.2014 Opposition activist Pavel Vinahradau to remain under police supervision

Opposition activist Pavel Vinahradau visited yesterday the police department of Minsk’s Maskouski district to check in on the last day of preventive supervision imposed on him for his civil activity. However, the staff told him that the period of restrictions might be extended.

25.04.2014 Sport for Sport

Appeal by Human Rights Organizations to the Governments of the Countries Participating in the 2014 World Ice Hokey Championship to be held in Minsk

24.04.2014 Pavel Sapelka: “Pre-trial agreement is a progressive standard, which only works with an independent court”

Belarus can introduce a mechanism for the pre-trial agreement on cooperation with the suspect (accused) in a criminal case. This initiative is supported by the Investigative Committee.

24.04.2014 Brest Regional Court to consider complaint by ex-candidate

Former candidate in this year’s local elections Mikalai Charnavus received today a notice from the Baranavichy District and City Court saying that his private complaint had been sent to the Brest Regional Court. The letter says that the Brest Regional Court will hear the claim on May 5.

24.04.2014 Two more opposition activists arrested ahead of Chernobyl Way march

Two activists of the Alternatyva opposition movement, Aliaksandr Stsepanenka and Uladzimir Siarheyeu, were detained last evening in Minsk. They were charged with disorderly conduct and sentenced to five days of arrest by the Minsk Tsentralny District Court.

23.04.2014 Political prisoner Parfiankou thrown to locked cell for half a year

On 7 April Vasil Parfiankou has been placed in a locked-type confinement cell for 6 months. The charter97.org web-site learnt about that from an activist of the European Belarus civic campaign Julia Sciapanava.

23.04.2014 Chernobyl pickets banned in Hrodna

Vadzim Saranchukou and Mikalai Lemianouski, members of the Belarusian Popular Front’s Hrodna office, have received from the executive committee official bans on conducting awareness-raising pickets, scheduled for April 26 to mark the anniversary of the Chernobyl disaster.

23.04.2014 10-days’ arrest for white-red-white flags

Judge Anastasia Asipchyk of Minsk’s Zavodski District Court has sentenced opposition activist Illia Dabratvor to an administrative arrest of 10 days.

23.04.2014 Ashton condemns latest execution in Belarus

The spokesperson of Catherine Ashton, High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy and Vice President of the Commission, has issued a statement to condemn the execution of Pavel Sialiun, Radio Liberty's Belarus service reports.

23.04.2014 Opposition activist Maksim Viniarski goes on hunger strike to protest sentencing

Maksim Viniarski, activist of the European Belarus opposition movement, was sentenced last evening to 12 days of arrest by the Court of Minsk’s Frunzenski district.

22.04.2014 Can political prisoners count on release under amnesty?

On April 21, it became known that the parliament was expected to review a bill on amnesty in 2014. However, the national legal portal has not yet published the document.

22.04.2014 Chernobyl events banned in Vitsebsk and Navapolatsk

Local authorities in Vitsebsk and Navapolatsk have banned a number of events scheduled to mark the anniversary of the Chernobyl disaster on April 26. According to the officials, the organizers failed to submit an appropriate application.