News on the topic: human rights defenders
15.10.2018 Observatory calls to quash convictions of Masliukova and Zmitrovich
The Observatory for the Protection of Human Rights Defenders, a partnership of FIDH and the World Organisation Against Torture (OMCT), has received new information and requests your urgent intervention in the following situation in Belarus.
10.10.2018 Viasna activist fined in Svietlahorsk
Alena Masliukova, activist of the Human Rights Center “Viasna” in Svietlahorsk, has been fined 612.5 rubles (USD 285) on charges of organizing an illegal assembly.
02.10.2018 HRDs present alternative report on human rights situation in Belarus
On October 1, representatives of the national human rights coalition presented their alternative report on the human rights situation in Belarus. The preparation of the report involved 12 human rights organizations.
01.10.2018 Observatory: Drop charges against Svietlahorsk activists
The Observatory has been informed by reliable sources about the judicial harassment of Ms. Alena Masliukova, member of Human Rights Centre “Viasna” in Svetlogorsk and Mr. Anatoly Zmitrovich, an environmental activist.
21.09.2018 Picks of the Week
On September 20, human rights defender Alena Masliukova was charged with illegal protesting, after she attended a picket in Svietlahorsk, in which environmental activists demanded to close a local pulp mill. Masliukova denies the charge saying that she came to the city’s central square to monitor the protest.
05.09.2018 Case Belarus v. Henadz Fiadynich and Ihar Komlik. Trial observation report
“Conviction of leaders of independent trade union REP Henadz Fiadynich and Ihar Komlik on tax evasion charges is politically motivated and trial proceedings were marred by procedural irregularities”, concludes the Observatory for the Protection of Human Rights Defenders (an FIDH-OMCT partnership) in a report published on August 30. “The convictions should be overturned on appeal”.
29.08.2018 Viasna joins 127 rights groups to call for immediate release of Nabeel Rajab
Paris-Geneva-Manama – For the second time since 2013, the United Nations (UN) Working Group on Arbitrary Detention (WGAD) has issued an Opinion regarding the legality of the detention of Mr. Nabeel Rajab under international human rights law. In its second opinion, the WGAD held that the detention was not only arbitrary but also discriminatory. The 127 signatory human rights groups welcome this landmark opinion, made public on 13 August 2018, recognising the role played by human rights defenders in society and the need to protect them. We call upon the Bahraini Government to immediately release Nabeel Rajab in accordance with this latest request.
24.08.2018 Statement by Belarusian human rights organizations on sentence in REP trial
On August 24, 2018, Henadz Fiadynich, chairperson of the Belarusian Independent Trade Union of Radio Electronic Industry Workers (REP), and Ihar Komlik, the Union’s accountant, were found guilty of committing a crime under Part 2, Art. 243 of the Criminal Code (large-scale tax evasion).
03.08.2018 Lars Bünger: I really hope changes can happen soon in Belarus
Viasna has talked to Lars Bünger, Chairman of Libereco – Partnership for Human Rights, one of our long-standing partners working on a number of crucial human rights issues in Belarus.
04.07.2018 Viasna observers arrested ahead of banned protest in Minsk
Five observers of Viasna and BHC’s joint monitoring service #ControlBY were briefly detained in Minsk yesterday afternoon ahead of a protest announced by opposition leader Mikalai Statkevich.
01.06.2018 HRDs set to monitor implementation of recommendations by UN Committee against Torture
Representatives of a coalition of human rights organizations, which in late April presented an alternative report to the UN Committee against Torture, have commented on the Concluding observations of the Committee following the 63rd session of the Committee.
15.05.2018 Save human rights defender who took over murdered Natalia Estemirova’s work
In a video released today, daughter of Natalia Estemirova, murdered in 2009 for her human rights work in Chechnya, calls FIFA and the international community to take action in saving Oyub Titiev.
10.05.2018 Charges Against Human Rights Defender Tatsiana Mastykina Must be Dropped
The trial against Belarusian human rights defender Tatsiana Mastykina came to an end in the afternoon of 8 May, but no final verdict has yet been given. Civil Rights Defenders calls on the Belarusian authorities to immediately drop the charges, and to comply with its international obligations to respect and protect the fundamental right to freedom of assembly.
07.05.2018 Authorities ignore observers’ appeal against arrest at Freedom Day protest
In early April, six observers of the monitoring mission co-run by the Human Rights Center “Viasna” and the Belarusian Helsinki Committee wrote to the Prosecutor's Office of the Saviecki district of Minsk and the city’s office of the Investigative Committee to complain about their illegal detention ahead of the Freedom Day demonstration on March 25 in Minsk.
03.05.2018 Stop harassment of human rights defenders for their legitimate human rights activities
Human rights defenders urge the authorities to drop the administrative charges against Tatsiana Mastykina and other observers who were arrested on March 25.
