News on the topic: international organizations
30.08.2010 International community marks Day of Disappeared
Today, on August 30, the International Day of the Disappeared is being marked across the world. The International Day of the Disappeared on August 30 is an annual commemoration day created to draw attention to the fate of individuals imprisoned at places and under poor conditions unknown to their relatives and/or legal representatives.
23.08.2010 PACE rapporteur on Belarus arrives in Minsk
Sinikka Hurskainen has arrived in Minsk to gather information, hold meetings with people and discuss the situation in the country. The rapporteur on Belarus of the political affairs committee at the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe said this on August 23 at a meeting with Viktar Huminski, a deputy head of the “house of representatives” of the “national assembly” of Belarus, BelaPAN reports.
19.08.2010 “Reporters without borders” go to bat for Belarusian oppositional newspapers
The new law on mass media gives the authorities a possibility to tighten control on the press. As BelaPAN informs, the international human rights organization “Reporters without Borders” has condemned stepping up pressure on mass media in Belarus in the run-up to the presidential elections.
02.08.2010 OSCE criticizes mass media freedom in Belarus
The OSCE Representative on Freedom of the Media Dunja Mijatovich has come out in the support of Belarusian journalists. On 30 July, Dunja Mijatovich has delivered her first report at the OSCE Permanent Council in Vienna. In the report on two dozens of the OSCE participating States, to which Mijatovich addressed with different questions concerning freedom of mass media, Belarus is mentioned as well, Radio Svaboda informs.
30.06.2010 Freedom House called regime in Belarus authoritarian
Freedom House’s report listed Belarus among authoritarian states. The survey studies the human rights situation and democracy in 29 states of Eastern Europe and former Soviet bloc, AFN reports.
10.06.2010 Ales Bialiatski takes part in OSCE conference in Copenhagen
The OSCE conference on the occsaion of the 20th anniversary of signing of the Copenhagen Document takes place in Copenhagen on 10-11 June. Ales Bialiatski, Chairperson of the Human Rights Center Viasna and Vice-President of the International Federation for Human Rights (FIDH), was invited there to represent Belarusian NGOs. An official delegation from Belarus takes part in the conference as well.
10.06.2010 Counsel Hrabouski: verdict to Yakavenka was copied from prosecutor's ruling
On 9 June, lawyer Yauhen Hrabouski familiarized with a copy of the verdict to his client, conscientious objector Yauhen Yakavenka, who has been recently punished by the Tsentralny District Court of Homel with 1 year of personal restraint with direction to an open penitentiary institution.
28.05.2010 UN Human Rights Committee registers complaints by Brest pro-dem activists
The UN Human Rights Committee registered communications by four Brest pro-democratic activists Dzianis Turchaniak, Iryna Laurouskaya, Valery Faminski and Raman Kisliak under # 1948/2010.
28.05.2010 Amnesty International’s Report is a signal for Belarusian authorities, say human rights activists
Belarusian human rights activists say that the annual Report 2010 released by the Amnesty International human rights organization is a grave signal for the Belarusian authorities to promptly start the liberalization of the national legislation and bring the means of its implementation in accordance with the international standards in the field of civil and political rights.
27.05.2010 Amnesty International’s Report 2010 condemns human rights abuses in Belarus
The Amnesty International human rights organization released its annual Report ‘Amnesty International Report 2010: State of the World's Human Rights’, Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty reports. The Report stresses that ‘powerful governments are blocking advances in international justice by standing above the law on human rights, shielding allies from criticism and acting only when politically convenient.’
18.05.2010 Council of Europe Secretary General criticizes death penalty sentences in Belarus
Practicing death penalty remains an obstacle in Belarus–Council of Europe relations. On May 14, the Hrodna region court sentenced two dwellers of Hrodna to death. They were found guilty of the murder of three persons with extreme cruelty and accompanied, robbery with beating which caused grave bodily damage, intentional damage to property, and abduction of a child. The verdict hasn’t taken legal effect and can be appealed against to the Supreme Court within ten days.
13.05.2010 The authorities spent too much time thinking about abolition of Article 193.1
The Ministry of Justice again confirms the intention of the authorities to eliminate from the Criminal Code of Belarus Article 193.1 that envisages punishment for activities on behalf of unregistered organizations.
13.05.2010 Belarusian NGOs and international community discuss the situation of human rights in Belarus
Representatives of the Belarusian NGOs held a number of events on 12 May in Geneva that were connected with the report of the Belarusian authorities within the guidelines of the procedure of the Universal Periodical Review at the UN Human Rights Council.
11.05.2010 OSCE is concerned with pressurization of media in Belarus
An OSCE representative slams persecution of the Belarusian journalists and criminal cases against charter97.org website.
05.05.2010 Inter-Parliamentary Union reminds authorities about disappearance of Hanchar and Krasouski
The Governing Council of the Inter-Parliamentary Union unanimously adopted the resolution on disappeared Belarusian opposition leaders.
