29.11.2010 OSCE calls for closer cooperation with civil societies worldwide

On 29-29 November Astana, Kazakhstan, hosted the OSCE Civil Society Parallel Conference, attended by over 200 NGO representatives from 26 OSCE member countries. The conference is an independent event, initiated by the OSCE members ahead of the 2010 Summit to be held in Astana on 1-2 December.

19.11.2010 BAJ suggests PACE to conduct hearings on freedom of media in Belarus

The representative of the Belarusian Association of Journalists Andrej Aliaksandrau suggested to conduct special hearings dedicated to freedom of media in Belarus, during the session of the PACE Political Affairs Committee on November 18.

05.11.2010 Human rights defenders Pay attention to use of torture in Belarus

A group of human rights defenders from different Belarusian human rights organizations prepared an alternative report to the UN Committee against Torture. The report concerns the international undertakings of Belarus according to the UN Convention against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Kinds of Treatment and Punishment. This is the first alternative report on torture that will be presented to the UN in December and will be considered by the Committee against Torture as early as spring 2011.

02.11.2010 Ales Bialiatski addressed Presidential Administration and Prosecutor General

The vice-President of the International Federation for Human Rights (FIDH) Ales Bialiatski addressed the Prosecutor General of Belarus, Ryhor Vasilevich, and the Presidential Administration of Belarus.

14.10.2010 British Minister of State at the Foreign and Commonwealth Office signed petition for abolition of death penalty in Belarus

The Foreign Office Minister for Human Rights Jeremy Browne and British Ambassador to Belarus Rosemary Thomas signed the petition against the death penalty in Belarus on 11 October, following the launch of the UK’s strategy for Global Abolition of the Death Penalty.

07.10.2010 Information about tortures in Belarus became world-known

The use of tortures in Belarus was discussed at the OSCE Conference on Human Dimension that is held on 30 September -8 October in Warsaw. A representative of the Belarusian human rights organization Legal Initiative Siarhei Ustsinau took the floor and reported about the use of torture during the investigation of crimes, persecution of the people who reported about torture; violent dispersals of peaceful protest actions and the prison conditions.

27.09.2010 Human Rights House Network calls upon Belarus to take urgent measures to meet international human rights standards

On 22-23 September Vilnius hosted the 2010 Human Rights House Network (HRHN) Annual Meeting, a forum of cooperation between established and emerging Human Rights Houses, uniting 70 NGOs in 15 countries. The Meeting was attended by human rights defenders from 17 countries.

21.09.2010 Reporters without Borders criticize Belarusian media freedom

The Reporters without Borders international organization has released a statement, expressing its deep concern over the increasing harassment of Belarusian journalists ahead of the forthcoming presidential election, the press-service of the Belarusian Association of Journalists reports.

17.09.2010 Foreign journalists urge Belarus to guarantee protection of media freedom in Belarus

Representatives of the international mass media community recommend the Belarusian authorities to intensify legal protection of journalists, says a statement released by the participants of the international conference ‘10 years on – no justice for Georgiy Gongadze – the need to find new ways to fight impunity', held in Kyiv by the Article 19 and the International Media Support organizations, Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty reports.

13.09.2010 Ecologists urge Belarusian authorities to release Uladzimir Valodzin

Ecologists urge Belarusian authorities to release Uladzimir ValodzinThe ecological organizations of Belarus, Lithuania and Russia adopted a joint address to the Belarusian authorities demanding an immediate release of Uladzimir Valodzin who was imprisoned on 8 September on suspicion in the assault on the Embassy of the Russian Federation in Minsk.

07.09.2010 Representatives of ‘Amnesty International’ paid a visit to Hrodna

The representatives of the international human rights organization Amnesty International Heather McGill and Aisha Jung paid a visit to Hrodna within the guidelines of the campaign against the punishment of criminals with death.

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.

24.08.2010 Capital punishment abolishment is important but it is not the only term of Belarus’ return to PACE

The abolishment of the capital punishment is the main but not the only reason for returning the status of a special invitee to Belarus in PACE. The PACE reporter on Belarus Sinikka Hurskainen has informed about it.

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.