News on the topic: human rights defenders
09.03.2010 7 May – anniversary of Yana Paliakova’s death
Yana Paliakova, human rights activist, committed suicide in March 2009. A wide range of cruel and mean methods was used against the young women before it: arrests, tortures, criminal persecution and moral terror.
23.02.2010 Ales Bialiatski: ‘The practice of torture, violence, false evidence fabricated by police officers is part of daily life’
Mass detentions and arrests of representatives of the unrecognized Union of Poles, a nervous attitude of the police to the work of journalists, trials and allegations of disorderly conduct against civil and political activists – all this has its specific reasons, which the authorities try to cover up with demagogic statements on rights and freedoms. These are the reasons named by the vice-president of the International Federation of Human Rights, Chairman of the Human Rights Center Viasna Ales Bialiatski in an interview with our correspondent.
19.02.2010 Human rights defenders insist on negotiations with administration of law-enforcement agencies
On 19 February, members of the Belarusian human rights organizations and movements submitted to the heads of different law-enforcement agencies a written request to enter proposals concerning the format, time and place of negotiations and delegate their representatives for participation in them.
19.02.2010 Law machinery wouldn’t discuss beatings of participants of mass actions
Belarusian human rights activists planned to discuss illegitimate repressive actions against civil society with regime representatives.
18.02.2010 Supreme Court didn’t grant appeal against non-registration of ‘Brestskaya Viasna’
On 18 February the cassation appeal of the founders of the human rights NGO Brestskaya Viasna concerning the verdict of the Brest oblast court of 29 December by which the decision of the justice department of the Brest oblast executive committee on non-registration of the organization was left in force.
17.02.2010 Human Rights Defenders for Free Elections: first stage of the formation of territorial and district election commissions. Report
According to article 34 of The Electoral Code of the Republic of Belarus, territorial election commissions on the election of deputies of local Soviets are formed by the presidiums of oblast, Minsk city Soviet of deputies and oblast, Minsk city executive committees, composed of 9-13 commission-members. The mentioned commissions are formed no later than 85 days before the elections.
12.02.2010 Human rights defender Tamara Chikunova voices concern over retention of death penalty in Belarus
In the beginning of February, Tamara Chikunova, a well-known advocate of the death penalty abolition in Uzbekistan, paid a visit to Belarus. During a meeting with members of the HRC Viasna she told them about the problems one can face while defending the right to life. Chairperson of the Mothers against Death Penalty and Torture NGO also expressed her concern over the retention of the death penalty in Belarus and stated her wish to facilitate its final abolition.
11.02.2010 Valiantsin Stefanovich: We call on the Belarusian Governmental to cooperate with the UN as actively as we do
On 11 February, human rights defenders presented their report on the procedure of the Universal Periodical Review of Belarus in the UN Human Rights Committee.
02.02.2010 Elections 2010 – still following the old scenario
The atmosphere of fear and disappointed hopes on democratic effect of the amendment of the electoral legislation – this is the evaluation given by human rights defenders to the beginning of the campaign on elections to the local Soviets of 26th Convocation.
27.01.2010 Freedom for Ivan Mikhailau – Stop persecution of conscientious objectors in Belarus
Open Letter to the Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko
14.01.2010 Barysau: court dismissed lawsuit of human rights defenders
On 11 January the court of Barysau issued a verdict on the lawsuit of the human rights defenders Aleh Matskevich and Maryna Statkevich against Barysau district executive committee that had banned holding on 10 December a picket dated to Human Rights Day.
14.01.2010 State is reminded about international undertakings
Uladzimir Katsora, Homel activist of the For Freedom movement, addressed the state organs with the demand that they execute the decision of the UN Human Rights Committee on renewal of the activities of the Civil Initiatives NGO.
13.01.2010 Biaroza: court dismissed lawsuit of human rights defenders
The Biaroza district court finished the trial of the lawsuit of the human rights defenders Vasil Azaranka and Siarzhuk Rusetski against the refusal of Biaroza district executive committee to authorize the picket dated to Human Rights Day, 10 December.
12.01.2010 Valiantsin Stefanovich: Human rights defenders deny hooliganism in actions of Siarhei Kavalenka
Representatives of the Human Rights Center Viasna blankly disagree with bringing a criminal case against Siarhei Kavalenka and consider it to be politically motivated persecution.
12.01.2010 Human Rights Center Viasna demands that criminal case against Ivan Mikhailau be dropped
The civil right to alternative service ensues from Article 57 of the Constitution of the Republic of Belarus. This article provides that the defense of the Republic of Belarus is a sacred duty of a Belarusian citizen. The order of the military service, the reasons and the conditions of its replacement with alternative service are determined by the law.
