The Human Rights Center “Viasna”

April was marked by first steps towards de-escalation of the political conflict between the Belarusian authorities and the European Union. Two political prisoners were released as a result – former presidential candidate Andrei Sannikau and his electioneering agent Dzmitry Bandarenka (on 14 and 15 April respectively). In response to this move the EU refused to take further sanctions against Belarus, while stressing the need to release all political prisoners at the meeting of 23 April.

In March, the human rights situation was strongly dependent on the developments in the foreign policy The unresolved issue of political prisoners increased the confrontation between the Belarusian authorities and the European Union: the reluctance of the official Minsk to eliminate the root cause of the conflict faced a tough and consistent position of the EU.

In February, the absence of positive developments in the field of human rights, especially the unresolved issue of political prisoners was in the center of political relations between the EU and the Belarusian authorities.

In January the human rights situation in Belarus remained critical. 15 prisoners convicted for their political and social activities remained behind bars. The appellate court left in force the verdict to the head of the Human Rights Center "Viasna" Ales Bialiatski. It became known that torture and ill-treatment were used towards another political prisoner, former presidential candidate Andrei Sannikau, with the aim to make him apply to the head of the state for pardon. As a result, he filed such a petition. Political prisoners Mikalai Autukhovich and Mikalai Statkevich were tried for alleged violations of the prison regime. As a result, the conditions of their imprisonment were toughened.

The total sum of fines given to participants of the Stop Petrol protest exceeds 3 mln Belarusian rubles. On 12 June the riot police violently dispersed a spontaneous protest action of drivers at the border crossing point Bruzgi. Human rights defenders demand that the authorities stop cruel treatment and torture of political prison Mikita Likhavid. A member of the United Civil Party, businessman Andrei Bandarenka was acquitted after spending two years in jail. The Belarusian democratic organizations the Belarusian Association of Journalists, the Human Rights Center Viasna and the Free Theater received the Freedom Award at the Wroclaw Global Forum held on 9-11 June.

In the beginning of the week, several people detained during the street actions of 25 March, Freedom Day, were punished with administrative arrest: Mikola Dzemidzenka, Iryna Hubskaya, Viktar Ivashekvich, Zmitser Salauyou and journalist Uladzimir Laptsevich. The criminal persecution in connection with the protest rally of 19 December 2010 continued as well. One of its participants, 20-year-old Mikita Likhavid was sentenced to 3.5 years of medium-security colony.

December was an important month for summing up the results of the presidential electoral campaign that lasted for three months and ended on 19 December.

The stage of collecting signatures in support of the nomination of candidates for President of the Republic of Belarus ended in November. On 18 November the Central Election Commission held a sitting to register candidates. The electoral teams of 11 out of 17 pretenders for candidate stated they had passed to election commissions more than 100,000 signatures in their support. 6 pretenders decided to withdraw from the election. Uladzimir Pravalski wasn't registered as a candidate for President because, according to the CEC, he had passed only 118 valid signatures in support of his candidacy.