News on the topic: Viasna
20.07.2010 Ales Bialiatski became honorary citizen of Genoa
The municipality of the Italian city of Genoa granted the status of honorary citizen to Ales Bialiatski, Chairperson of the Human Rights Center Viasna. The Italian society expressed thereby its concern with the situation of human rights in Belarus, particularly the use of the death penalty, restriction of the freedom of the media and civil and political rights.
21.06.2010 FIDH and Viasna urge Belarusian authorities to promptly render medical aid to Atukhovich
The FIDH and the Human Rights Center ‘Viasna’ have learned about the start of an open-ended hunger-strike by the imprisoned Mikalai Autukhovich after he was refused medical aid by the administration of Minsk’s detention center #1.
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.
31.05.2010 Joint Statement by the International Federation for Human Rights (FIDH) and the Human Rights Center ‘Viasna’
The International Federation for Human Rights (FIDH) and its member-organization in Belarus Human Rights Center ‘Viasna’ express deep concern about the wave of new repressive actions (searches, interrogations and arrests) in respect of civil society activists, human rights activists, independent journalists and political opponents as well as in connection with the general deterioration of human rights situation in the country.
17.05.2010 Violent dispersal and detentions of participants of Gay Pride in Minsk are violation of right to freedom of peaceful assembly and manifestation of discrimination
Statement by the Human Rights Center ‘Viasna’ On 15 May 2010, representatives of the Interior Ministry violently dispersed a peaceful demonstration of LGBT community activists. The Minsk city authorities banned the event due to a formal reason and failed to provide an opportunity to hold the demonstration in a different place, which would suit both sides.
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.
09.05.2010 Statement of Human Rights Defenders on Autukhovich's case
On 6 May 2010, the Supreme Court of the Republic of Belarus issued a verdict on the criminal case against Mikalai Autukhovich, Uladzimir Asipenka, Mikhail Kazlou and Aliaksandr Laryn.
03.05.2010 Public statement by Human Rights Center ‘Viasna’ concerning search at Zmitser Salauyou’s office in Navapolatsk
On 30 April the police searched the private office of the human rights defender Zmitser Salauyou in Navapolatsk. The search was sanctioned by the town procurator, Anatol Ausiuk, and V.Karenski, Chair of the operative crime detection activities section of the investigation department of the Navapolatsk Town Police Department, within the frames of the criminal case instigated under Article 341 of the Criminal Code – ‘Defilement of buildings and destruction of property’ on the fact of inscriptions with swastikas on walls of different houses of the town. Computer system units, CDs, many printed editions and white-red-flags were confiscated as a result of the search.
03.05.2010 Another registration attempt by ‘Berastseiskaya Viasna’
The human rights NGO Berastseiskaya Viasna makes another attempt to get registered with the state. A constituent assembly took place in Brest, at which representatives from all districts of the Brest region were present. The first registration attempt took place in 2004. However, the NGO was denied registration, as well as during the next four attempts.
14.04.2010 Belarusian human rights defender Ales Bialiatski elected Vice-President of International Federation for Human Rights again
On 6-8 April the 37th Congress of the International Forum for Human Rights of the FIDH (the International Federation for Human Rights) took place in Yerevan, Armeniya. About 300 delegates came there from different parts of the world, including the Belarusian human rights defenders Ales Bialiatski and Valiantsin Stefanovich.
26.03.2010 European HR organizations condemn detention of Viasna activists
Civil Rights Defenders (Sweden), Belarusian Human Rights House (Lithuania), Human Rights House Foundation (Norway) and the Norwegian Helsinki Committee condemn the detention of three activists of the Human Rights Center ‘Viasna’. "They were supposed to have applied for permission to assembly, but since the organisation they represent has been denied official registration several times, the application would not have been granted. In practice their right to assembly is severely restricted" says AneTusvik Bonde, Regional Manager at the Human Rights House Foundation.
24.03.2010 Human rights activists fined
Today, on 24 March Minsk Leninski Court convicted Viasna’s activists Ales Bialiatski, Valiantsin Stefanovich and Iryna Toustsik of violating Article 23.34 of the Civil Code (violation of public event procedures) while staging a picket of protest against the recent execution of death penalties on 23 March in outside the Presidential Administration building in Minsk and fined them BYR 17,500 each.
23.03.2010 Viasna’s activists detained
Four members of the Human Rights Center Viasna Ales Bialiatski, Valiantsin Stefanovich, Iryna Toustsik and Siarhei Sys were detained by the police while staging a picket against the execution of Andrei Zhuk and Vasil Yuzepchuk in front of the Presidential Administration building in Minsk.
06.03.2010 Valiantsin Stefanovich: Elections are always accompanied with repressions and harassment in Belarus
Recently the authorities have increased the pressurization of representatives of the democratic community and member of their initiative groups on all levels.
