News on the topic: international organizations
26.10.2011 Observatory for the Protection of Human Rights Defenders: undue pressure against Belarus' civil society and independent media continues
The Observatory for the Protection of Human Rights Defenders, a joint project of the International Federation for Human rights (FIDH) and the World Organisation Against Torture (OMCT), has released its annual report covering administrative abuses against human rights defenders worldwide.
21.10.2011 Open Joint letter regarding the new legislative amendments limiting freedom of assembly and association and imposing new restrictions on civil society groups in Belarus
A number of international human rights organizations, including Amnesty International, ARTICLE 19, Civil Rights Defenders, Front Line Defenders, Human Rights Watch, the Human Rights House Foundation, the Norwegian Helsinki Committee and the Observatory for the Protection of Human Rights Defenders, have addressed the Council of the Republic, the upper chamber of the Belarusian Parliament, urging the Parliament members to quash recent legislative amendments that impose limitations on freedom of assembly and association and severely restrict the work of Belarusian civil society groups, especially those working on human rights or related issues.
21.10.2011 Observatory for the Protection of Human Rights Defenders: Urgent appeal on Valiantsin Stefanovich's case
The Observatory for the Protection of Human Rights Defenders, a joint programme of the International Federation for Human Rights (FIDH) and the World Organisation Against Torture (OMCT), requests your urgent intervention in the following situation in Belarus. The Observatory has been informed by reliable sources about the sentencing of Mr. Valiantsin Stefanovich, Vice-Chairman of the Human Rights Centre “Viasna”.
09.10.2011 PACE adopts a declaration on Ales Bialiatski
"Ales Bialiatski, leader of the Human Rights Centre Viasna, was arrested on 4 August 2011 and may face up to seven years imprisonment purportedly for income tax evasion. The severe restrictions on freedom of association in Belarus and the impossibility for independent organisations to register and to receive funds from abroad seriously impeded the work of Viasna and jeopardised its efforts to assist victims of political repression," reads the declaration.
03.10.2011 Actions to immediately release political prisoners in Belarus discussed at the OSCE Human Dimension Conference
The parallel event “Ales Bialiatski: symbolical case of violation of political and political rights in Belarus after the presidential elections of 2010” took place within the framework of the yearly Human Dimension Meeting of the OSCE. It was organized by a coalition of human rights organizations including the Norwegian Human Rights Committee, Polish Helsinki Foundation for Human Rights, World Organization against Torture, Amnesty International, Human Rights House Foundation, Human Rights Watch, Front Line, the International Federation for Human Rights (FIDH) and the Human Rights Center Viasna. It was attended by former political prisoner Aliaksandr Atroshchankau, presidential candidate Vital Rymasheuski and leaders of the democratic parties of Belarus.
30.09.2011 “Belarusian bars are becoming Justice Ministry’s department”
“Belarusian bars are becoming Justice Ministry’s department”, - say the participants of the International Congress of the European Bars Federation held in Wroclaw in late September, where Belarusian lawyers were represented by Pavel Sapelka, deprived of his license for involvement in politically-motivated criminal cases.
30.09.2011 Another international observer prevented from entering Belarus
On 30 September, the Belarusian border troops did not allow Ukrainian activist of the International Observation Mission of the Committee of International Control over the Human Rights Situation in Belarus Volodymyr Senko to enter the country.
29.09.2011 Measures for release of political prisoners considered at OSCE conference
On 28 September, Warsaw hosted a side-event “Ales Bialiatski: a symbolic case of the restrictions to political and civil rights in Belarus after the 2010 presidential elections” as part of the OSCE Human Dimension Conference, arranged by a coalition of a number of human rights organizations: the Norwegian Helsinki Committee, the Polish Helsinki Foundation for Human Rights, the World Organization against Torture (OMCT), Amnesty International, the Human Rights House Network, Human Rights Watch, Front Line, the International Federation for Human Rights and the Human Rights Center “Viasna”.
26.09.2011 UN Committee admits violation in Brest activist’s case
The United Nations Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW) has admitted the violations made against civil activist Inha Abramava at a detention center in Brest.
26.09.2011 UN Human Rights Council hears report on situation in Belarus
The UN Human Rights Council has considered the interim report on the situation of political prisoners, human rights defenders, journalists and lawyers following the 19 December 2010 presidential election in Belarus.
25.09.2011 Statement of the FIDH President, Souhayr Belhassen, on the occasion of Ales Bialiatski birthday
September 25 – the birthday of Ales Bialiatski, the Vice President of the International Federation for Human Rights (FIDH) and the head of the Human Rights center Viasna, a member organization of FIDH in Belarus, who has been held in detention in Minsk since August 4, 2011.
21.09.2011 UN reiterates demands to release Ales Bialiatski
On 20 September, the International Federation of Human Rights and the Human Rights House Foundation held a side-event on the criminal prosecution of Viasna leader Ales Bialiatski.
21.09.2011 UN Human Rights Council: Release political prisoners immediately
The Office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights released its recommendations in human rights sector to the Belarusian authorities.
07.09.2011 ISC/CD Statement on the Detention of Belarusian Human Rights Activist Ales Bialitski
The nongovernmental International Steering Committee of the Community of Democracies (ISC/CD) joins with numerous other governmental and non-governmental organizations in condemning the unjust arrest and detention of prominent Belarusian human rights activist Ales Bialiatski by the regime of President Alexander Lukashenka.
07.09.2011 Thomas Hammarberg: “the Belarusian authorities seek to stop Viasna’s assistance to victims of human rights violations”
Thomas Hammarberg, the Commissioner for Human Rights of the Council of Europe, published an article concerning the arrest of Ales Bialiatski. in the European newspaper New Europe.
