News on the topic: human rights defenders
29.05.2015 Human rights activist urges border officials to return seized laptop
Human rights defender Leanid Sudalenka has complained to the Chairman of the Customs Committee Yury Sianko urging him to return the laptop seized from the activist at the border checkpoint Kamenny Loh on May 24. The human rights activist also complains about the systematic violation of his rights by the Ašmiany customs.
25.05.2015 Border guards seize laptop from human rights activist Leanid Sudalenka
Belarusian border guards searched human rights activist Leanid Sudalenka as he was returning from Lithuania last evening. As a result, they took several data storage devices and a laptop.
21.05.2015 Restrictions on street protests in Viciebsk violate international human rights standards
In March, human rights activist Pavel Levinau wrote to the General Directorate of Justice of the Viciebsk Regional Executive Committee to protest against decision No. 881 of the Viciebsk City Executive Committee “On mass events in the city of Viciebsk”. A month later he received an answer: the decision is fully consistent with the Constitution and international treaties.
20.05.2015 Ales Bialiatski urges EU to comply with clear value-based criteria in relations with regimes of Belarus and Azerbaijan (VIDEO)
On May 20, Ales Bialiatski, head of the HRC "Viasna" and Vice-President of the International Federation for Human Rights, spoke at the Eastern Partnership Civil Society Conference in Riga.
18.05.2015 House of Representatives: No reasons to decriminalize Article 411
Liudmila Mikhalkova, Chairperson of the Standing Commission on legislation of the House of Representatives of the National Assembly replied to Viasna’s letter concerning possible abolition of Article 411 of the Criminal Code.
18.05.2015 Belarusian government stops correspondence with UN HRC concerning communication by Viciebsk resident
The Belarusian authorities have refused to cooperate with the UN Human Rights Committee in a case of Mikhail Zhurauliou, a resident of Viciebsk who was fined back in 2012 for distributing independent press. Representatives of the government say that Mr. Zhurauliou’s individual communication was prepared and submitted to the Committee by human rights activist Pavel Levinau.
15.05.2015 Viasna joins campaign in support of Bahraini human rights defender Nabeel Rajab
The appeal verdict against Bahraini human rights activist Nabeel Rajab confirming his sentence of six months in jail for insulting government institutions on Twitter, demonstrates the Bahraini authorities’ complete disregard for the right to freedom of expression, said Amnesty International today.
15.05.2015 Prosecutor General's Office answers Tatsiana Reviaka concerning "normalization" of Jews by Lukashenka
Officials of the prosecution believe that the arguments of Tatsiana Reviaka are "disputable". The activist will seek an answer on the merits.
15.05.2015 Biaroza human rights activists intend to hold a picket demanding release of political prisoners
Biaroza human rights activists have filed an application for a picket on June 28 at the officially designated site, the city stadium, near the entrance from Lenin Street.
14.05.2015 Lawyer Pavel Sapelka: State has replaced the system of parole with giveaway amnesties
May 13 The House of Representatives of the National Assembly adopted in the first and second reading a bill on amnesty in connection with the 70th anniversary of the Victory. According to the Minister of Internal Affairs Ihar Shunevich if the amnesty law comes into force, it will concern some 8,600 convicts, 2.2 thousand which will be released from prison. Will there be political prisoners among them?
14.05.2015 Leanid Sudalenka is questioned as a witness in the case of pornography distribution
May 13 the HomieÍ regional department of the Investigative Committee questioned human rights defender Leanid Sudalenka, Chairman of the HomieÍ branch of the NGO "Legal Initiative" as a witness in the criminal case.
13.05.2015 Biaroza: court hearing on picket ban postponed to May 20
May 12 at 11 a.m. Biaroza District Court was to have started the consideration of the appeal of the local human rights defenders against the ban of the picket they intended to hold on March 25 to mark the 97-th anniversary of the Belarusian People's Republic and express solidarity with political prisoners.
13.05.2015 Bychaŭ police express dissatisfaction with Internet publication
Bychaŭ police demanded from Mahilioŭ resident Natallia to sign that he had no relation to a publication about one of its police inspectors at the website of the Human Rights Center “Viasna”.
13.05.2015 Uzbekistan: ten years after the Andijan massacre, the human rights situation is worse than ever
Paris, May 11, 2015. In commemoration of the ten year anniversary of the Andijan massacre, the FIDH, Reporters Without Borders (RSF), ACAT (Action by Christians Against Torture) and Fiery Hearts Club remind the international community of the dangerous oblivion of one of the bloodiest massacre of civilians in Central Asia.
13.05.2015 Human rights activist holding Savchenko portrait detained near Russian embassy
Natallia Harachka, a human rights activist of the initiative Legal Assistance to Citizens, was detained near the embassy of Russia in Minsk.
