12.08.2016 Invitation to press-conference on election progress
The Human Rights Defenders for Free Elections civil campaign announces a press conference to be held at 12:00, August 15 in the office of the HRC "Viasna" at the address: 8-26 vulitsa Miarzhynskaha.
11.08.2016 PACE mission issues statement on election campaign
A pre-electoral delegation from the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE) visited Minsk to assess the election campaign and the preparations for the parliamentary elections to be held on 11 September 2016.
10.08.2016 Human rights activists take part in meeting with PACE delegation
On August 9, the delegation of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe, including the Special Rapporteur on Belarus Andrea Rigoni, met with representatives of the Belarusian civil society.
10.08.2016 Uladzimir Kondrus’s father: “We are shocked. He’s half dead”
On August 9, the parents of Uladzimir Kondrus, another person charged of involvement in the December 2010 rioting case, were allowed, for the first time in two months, to visit their son at the detention center in Minsk.
10.08.2016 Human rights defenders recognize Uladzimir Kondrus political prisoner
We reaffirm our position, which is that the actions of Uladzimir Kondrus cannot be categorized under Art. 293 of the Criminal Code, while the statute of limitations of other articles of the Criminal Code, under which they could have been qualified, has already expired.
09.08.2016 OSCE ODIHR mission meets with Human Rights Defenders for Free Elections
On August 8, the office of the Human Rights Center "Viasna" hosted a meeting of the OSCE ODIHR election observation mission with representatives of the Human Rights Defenders for Free Elections domestic observation campaign.
08.08.2016 Weekly Analytical Report: August 1-7
As in earlier elections, observers of the campaign “Human Rights Defenders for Free Elections” were, in most cases, denied the opportunity to observe the verification of signatures submitted in support of nominations.
05.08.2016 Effective complaint? Unavailable for prisoners
In Belarus, prisoners do not believe in the effectiveness of complaints against the prison authorities. This lack of confidence is reinforced by legislative prerequisites that are analyzed by Pavel Sapelka, expert on penitentiary law. He also describes possible measures that could change the situation.
04.08.2016 UN Human Rights Committee registers Siarhei Khmialeuski’s complaint
On August 3, the UN Human Rights Committee has confirmed the registration of an individual communication submitted on behalf of Siarhei Khmialeuski, who was sentenced to death on February 15.
03.08.2016 Another person charged over December 2010 post-election riot
Uladzimir Kondrus, a resident of the town of Rudziensk, Minsk region, is held in custody at jail No. 1 in Minsk, according to information received by the Human Rights Center "Viasna".
02.08.2016 Human Rights Situation in Belarus: July 2016
The Prosecutor General's Office completed the investigation into the case of prison doctor and Interior Ministry officer Aliaksandr Krylou, who is accused of professional misconduct resulting in the death of Ihar Ptsichkin in jail No. 1 in August 2013.
31.07.2016 Analytical Report on the Formation of Precinct Election Commissions
The absence of legislatively fixed criteria for candidates to election commissions still results in a highly partial approach to the personal composition of these commissions.
29.07.2016 Formation of election commissions complete in Minsk
710 commissions in Minsk include 8 502 people, 69.4 per cent from which are women. The majority are members of public associations – 6 968 people, including political party members – 2 630 people.
29.07.2016 Assailant to spend one more year in jail after death of beating victim
On July 28, the Central district court of Minsk found Dzmitry Lukaševič guilty of manslaughter of Mikhail Piščeuski and sentenced him to three years in prison.
29.07.2016 Court officers confiscate activists’ country house as penalty for pickets
Activist Nina Bahinskaya received a letter from court officers ordering her to vacate the premises of her country house in the village of Damashany; the house will be sold at an auction and the money will be used to compensate the fines that the activist “earned” during pickets.
