The Human Rights Center “Viasna”

18.11.2020 Viasna journalist gets 15 more days in prison

Maryna Kastylianchanka, Viasna member and journalist, has been sentenced to another 15 days of administrative detention, after a mock trial held in the Baranavičy detention facility on Tuesday, November 17.

03.11.2020 UN experts decry threats against women human rights defenders in Belarus

Independent experts appointed by the UN Human Rights Council criticised Belarus for persecuting women human rights defenders in the context of the mass protests taking place in the country since August.

03.11.2020 Immediately release Viasna member Maryna Kastylianchanka!

Statement of the Board of the Human Rights Center “Viasna” in connection with the detention of a member of the Human Rights Center “Viasna” Maryna Kastylianchanka and the detention of a volunteer of the Human Rights Center “Viasna” Aliaksandr Paplauski

14.10.2020 HRDs voice priority recommendations to Belarusian authorities within UPR procedure

On October 12, an online pre-session was held for UN Human Rights Council delegations as part of the Universal Periodic Review (UPR) procedure. The session featured submissions from a number of Belarusian non-governmental human rights organizations.

13.10.2020 Viasna calls to drop criminal charges against volunteer Andrei Chapiuk

Statement by the Board of the Human Rights Center “Viasna”

09.10.2020 Salihorsk human rights activist sentenced to 10 days in prison

Leanid Markhotka, an activist of the Belarusian Helsinki Committee, has been sentenced to 10 days of administrative detention in Salihorsk. The reasons for the court ruling, however, are not known.

09.10.2020 Viasna site still on blacklist

Valiantsin Stefanovich, a member of the Board of the Human Rights Center "Viasna", has received an answer to his appeal to the Ministry of Information asking to explain the blocking of the human rights website spring96.org.

07.10.2020 42 rights groups: Belarus authorities must stop persecuting civil society and engage in dialogue

Belarusian human rights groups are being targeted for documenting abuses committed by the regime and helping victims. FIDH and 41 of its member organisations demand that the Belarus authorities put an end to all forms of harassment of civil society activists, including Marfa Rabkova, and start a dialogue aiming to reach a peaceful solution consistent with the people’s demand for new, democratic elections.

02.10.2020 Write to Marfa!

Marathon of letters of solidarity for Viasna human rights activist Marfa Rabkova

01.10.2020 Ales Bialiatski and Viasna win Right Livelihood Award

The Swedish Right Livelihood Foundation named today the winners of its annual award, popularly called the Alternative Nobel Prize. This year’s laureates include the Human Rights Center "Viasna" and its chairman Ales Bialiatski.

30.09.2020 Civic Solidarity Platform calls to release Marfa Rabkova

We demand that Belarusian authorities immediately and unconditionally release Marfa Rabkova, terminate criminal proceedings against her and guarantee her physical and psychological security and integrity.

27.09.2020 Marfa Rabkova faces formal charges

Viasna activist Marfa Rabkova has been officially charged under Part 3, Art. 293 of the Criminal Code (training or other preparation of persons for participation in mass riots, or financing of such activities). She remains in custody in pre-trial detention center No. 1 in Minsk.

25.09.2020 Urgent action by Amnesty International: Release human rights defender Marfa Rabkova

Woman human rights defender Marfa Rabkova was detained as a criminal suspect under false pretext on the evening of 17 September, by officers of the Interior Ministry’s Main Directorate for Combating Organized Crime and Corruption (GUBAZIK). Her husband Vadzim Zharomski was also detained but released shortly after. Marfa Rabkova may face criminal charges. She is a prisoner of conscience, targeted solely for her peaceful human rights work and must be immediately and unconditionally released.

22.09.2020 Ukrainian NGO call to stop pressure on Viasna

Representatives of the Ukrainian human rights organizations are seriously concerned with the pressure on the Human Rights Center «Viasna» by the authorities of the Republic of Belarus.